The Española Valley wrestling team finished a strong fourth Dec. 13 at the Jaguar Invitational despite missing three competitors in the lower weight classes that likely would have put the Sundevils in position to take third place.
Deming edged Española for third by 10 points, scoring 130 points to Española’s 120 points. Robertson, the defending Class A-AAA state champion, squeaked by Moriarty 179-178 for the championship. A total of 16 teams participated in the competition in Santa Fe.
The Sundevils were missing Adam Montoya (119 pounds) and Dino Gipson (125 pounds) to injury and Thomas Salazar (103 pounds) to illness. All three wrestlers were absent from the team’s previous meet — Salazar because he did not meet his weight limit.
“Poor kid, he was all excited he made weight,” Española coach Henry MacErnie said. “His mom calls me and tells me he has the flu.”
Helping to make up for the missing wrestlers was the performance of juniors Isaiah Martinez (130 pounds) and Mariano Montoya (145 pounds). Both took first place in their respective weight classes.
Martinez took on Robertson’s Miguel Garcia in the finals and built up a substantial 12-5 lead in the first two periods, but had to fight off being pinned in the final seconds of the third period. Garcia couldn’t put Martinez’s shoulders to the mat as time ticked off and ended up losing 12-8.
MacErnie breathed a little easier after Martinez survived his match, but said his team needed to work on fundamentals.
“We’re missing on some basic stuff,” MacErnie said. “I’ve been concentrating on teaching the new wrestlers and ignoring the veterans. We need to go over it because when you get on the mat you don’t have time to think. It needs to be a reaction.”
Montoya had an easier time with Moriarty’s Alex Griego in his championship match. Leading just 2-0 at the beginning of the second period, Montoya quickly scored two points on a reversal and then executed a move that enabled him to pin Griego at 2:47 in the second period.
“(Montoya) did an extended roll,” MacErnie said. “That was a good win for us; Griego is a tough kid. He was third at state last year.”
Senior Lucas Montoya, Mariano’s older brother, lost 6-4 to Robertson’s Joseph Dominguez in the semifinals of the 135-pound class, He blamed his loss on missing practice time Dec. 9 and Dec. 11 due to power outages at Española Valley High School.
“That hurt me conditioning-wise,” he said.
Lucas Montoya rebounded to take third place in his weight class by pinning Moriarty’s Lee Lon Sons. Dylan Dominguez (112 pounds) and Isaiah Serrano (152 pounds) also took third place for Española.
MacErnie said the Sundevils have a shot at bringing back a trophy from the state tournament if the wrestlers who are injured return and the team can avoid further injuries.
“This is the best team that I’ve had in terms of tenacity,” he said. “The kids have hung in there.”