KINGS OF THE MAT
Rio Rancho leads the way for state wrestling champions
RIO RANCHO — Early in the week, when Rio Rancho High wrestling coach Mike Santos saw the brackets for the Class 6A state tournament, he had what might best be described as a private premonition.
“We knew we were seeded in the right place,” Santos said. “Then it was all in the kids’ hands.”
With four individual state champions, the Rams (195 points) outlasted Carlsbad (182) and two-time defending champ Cleveland (171) on Saturday at the Santa Ana Star Center.
“Everyone in the state doubted us, and said this might be the year we don’t even get into the top three,” said Rio Rancho senior Edward Chavez, the 195-pound state champion after an upset of previously undefeated Joey Castillo of Las Cruces, who had been 45-0. “We showed the city and the state that Rio Rancho is not finished yet.”
Although Cleveland won easily over the Rams at the recent metro championships, the Rams authored most of the key victories on the season’s final weekend.
The Rams also produced champions in sophomore Tim Lopez, who registered four pins at 106 pounds; senior Orion Gutierrez at 160, where he repeated with four easy victories; and third-seeded junior Thomas Carrillo at 132 pounds, where he upset No. 1 seed Alejandro Gutierrez of Rio Grande. This was a pivotal match for Rio Rancho in its team championship pursuit.
Chavez had beaten rival Dion Hunter of Cleveland in Saturday’s semifinals; Hunter beat Chavez at the metros.
The Storm didn’t go away entirely empty handed.
Second-seeded Tristan Mascareñas of Cleveland joined an elite fraternity:
state champions among his family. Older brothers Paul (four) and Mikey (three) already had seven between them, and Tristan, a sophomore, captured his first Saturday, taking down No. 1 seed Miguel Padilla of Santa Fe 10-4 in the final at 113 pounds.
“Since I was young, I grew up watching my brothers, and I obviously look up to them,” Mascareñas said. “I followed in their footsteps.”
Manzano senior Isaac A. Garcia earned some redemption at 120 pounds, with a 6-5 upset decision of No. 1 Isaac Beltran of Santa Fe. Garcia, seeded second, had been a state runner-up each of the last two years.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Garcia said. “With the work I put in, I feel like I deserved it.”
Piedra Vista’s dynamic tandem of Wes Rayburn and Nick Rino both earned their fourth individual titles on Saturday, and both finished unbeaten seasons.
Rayburn (41-0) needed overtime to put away third-seeded Mason Box of Carlsbad at 138 pounds, while Rino (40-0) had an equally tough time with another No. 3 seed from the Cavemen, decisioning Fabian Padilla 2-1 in the 145-pound final.
Rio Grande junior Sergio Arellano also finished undefeated at 126 pounds. His 34-0 campaign ended in overtime as well, getting a takedown to beat Manzano’s Isidro Garcia, who like his cousin Isaac A. was trying to win state after placing second in both 2016 and 2017.
“I still gotta work hard, because next year, they’re gonna come at me even harder,” Arellano said.
Late in the night, La Cueva had the final two champions, with No. 1 seed D.J. McDowell pinning Atrisco Heritage’s Ernest Martinez at 195 pounds, and secondseeded C.J. Rodriguez upsetting No. 1 seed Devon Gonzales of West Mesa 1-0 in the heavyweight final.
Carlsbad sophomore Justin Wood, a runner-up each of the last two years, won his first title, pinning third-seeded Cody Glenn of Rio Rancho. Wood finished 42-2 this season.
“It was great to finally get it done after the last two years,” Wood said. “I wanted that first place. I wasn’t gonna settle for second.”
Wood had finished second as an eighth-grader, fractured his collarbone in the state semifinals two years ago.
Last year, Rino of Piedra Vista scored a point with a second left in the 145-pound final, and Wood was incredibly dejected.
NOTE: There was an ejection of a Valley wrestler and his father — also the Vikings’ head coach — earlier on Saturday during consolation bracket action.
Following a close victory by Rio Grande’s Eddie Kenton over Valley’s Abran Lujan at 113 pounds, video clearly shows Lujan taking two swings at Kenton — striking him at least once in the face — after the two had shook hands. The Journal could not confirm if Kenton was injured.
Moments prior to that, Valley coach Bart Lujan was also ejected, with multiple sources telling the Journal that he shoved an official in protest over a late call in his son’s match.