Orange Belt Boys Wrestler of the Year: Tyler Avila
Porterville senior became team’s first state placer in six years
If there’s one thing Tyler Avila’s wrestling journey at Porterville High School can teach someone, it’s that no matter what happens, you never give up on your dreams.
Year after year Avila faced setbacks but never stopped pursuing his dream of one day standing on the podium at the CIF State Championships. This season he accomplished that.
In his final year with the Panthers, the 182-pounder won an East Yosemite League, Central Section Division II and Masters’ championship before becoming one of just two non-div. I wrestlers from the Valley to place at state. He is The Recorder’s 2019-20 Orange Belt Boys Wrestler of the Year.
Avila went 33-5 with 20 pins his senior season to bring his career record to 97-25 with 56 total pins. But most importantly he stayed healthy and placed seventh at state, becoming the first male Panther to medal in six years.
“Like I told you at state, always want to do better but I’m just proud that I made it,” he said. “Not a lot of people have been through stuff that I’ve been through, stuck with it and been able to do it. So I’m happy with myself.”
After missing the postseason junior year because he developed costochondritis -- an inflammation that feels like a heart attack to most people -- from a car accident, Avila was ready to shine in his final postseason.
“I think sometimes when you persevere through injury, it creates a lot more drive for you to achieve a goal,” PHS head coach Tim Vanni said. “And he’s always had that talent. He could’ve easily been a four-time state placer had he stayed healthy but that’s behind him.”
Every challenge that came Avila’s way he turned into an advantage. Even dating back to his freshman year when he had a labral tear in his shoulder and went from a 138-pounder to 182; Avila used that situation to his benefit and became a faster, more agile wrestler than those in his weight class.
“It helped him perform on the mat to the extent that he’s learned not only the big guy techniques, where he’s at now, but he started out learning some speed and real position and not allowing people to score on him and when to capitalize,” Vanni said.
Ranked fifth in the state, Avila started this postseason strong without any setback. He won both the EYL and Div. II championship titles then pinned his way through the Masters tournament to face third-ranked Jadon Martin of Buchanan in the championship match.
The only non-div. I wrestler to reach a Masters’ final, Avila was trailing 5-2 going into the third but pulled off an incredible 10-5 upset to go to state as a Masters champion.
“It was probably one of my tougher matches this season,” Avila said. “And like I said, I like the grind. I felt him getting tired and was really just trying to push and push, and keep going.”
This wasn’t Avila’s first trip to state but the only other time he went was his sophomore year and it did not go well. During the middle of the season he injured his knee and needed surgery on his meniscus. Then when he finally got cleared, he got pneumonia soon after. He ended up making it to state but went 0-2. This season it felt like Avila had escaped the worst to get to state in top form. He suffered a concussion early in the season and pulled a back muscle before league, but he was in the best condition he’d ever been in and he knew it.
“I was just excited to be wrestling and doing what I love to do,” Avila said. “I was excited looking towards the postseason. I was like, ‘Man, I can finally do it.’”
With the fourth-seed to start the tournament, Avila won his first two matches and advanced to a quarterfinal rematch
against Martin. Unfortunately, Martin won in a 9-2 decision..
“(Buchanan) knew where I was going to mess up and they capitalized on it,” Avila said. “I should’ve maybe prepared a little bit more and been ready for it.”
Keeping his head up, Avila went into his next match in consolation knowing it was now or never if he wanted to stay on track for the podium. In one of the most important matches of his entire entire high school career, Avila defeated seventh-seed Travis Wuerth of Hemet 8-3 to guarantee a spot on the podium.
“It was exciting,” Avila said. “I was super happy about it. That’s one of those things...i’ve always wanted to win state but just to place, something I’ve never done, it was really exciting and it made my day. Everything else after that was a bonus.”
Avila’s shot of at least placing sixth came to an end the next match with a 7-4 loss to eighth-seed Joaquin Garcia Jr. of Villa Park in the consolation quarterfinals. Like Martin, Garcia Jr. was another wrestler Avila beat previously but couldn’t get past the second time around.
“All season, big long guys at 182s reach over and cradle me,” Avila said about the match. “I thought I caught it and he freaking switched on me and there it was. Back points. And those were the points he needed to win the match. It was good for him, he caught me and it’s whatever. It’s always fun to know you still gotta keep working, grinding.”
Wanting to go out with a win, Avila recovered well and came back to defeat 10th-seed Carsten Rawls of St. Francis in a 3-2 decision. The meaning of the win showed on Avila’s face as he went to embrace the man who had supported and encouraged his wrestling since he was six years old -- his dad.
“My dad’s been the one to really push me and help me throughout most of my life and always there helping me with wrestling,” Avila said. Helping me break down my matches, just keeping me pushing and going, and so it’s just, he’s always been there for me and I love it. I love him and he keeps me on my toes all the time. He’s always been there grinding with it. My mom too.
“But my dad’s definitely helped me get where I’ve gone and I can never thank him enough,” Avila said. “So when I’m out there wrestling I feel like I’m representing both me and him, and I’m so excited when I do, do well. Just love to be with him after.”
Walking around Bakersfield’s
Mechanics Bank Arena during the grand march of champions with a big smile on his face, it was obvious to see how proud Avila was to have preserved through multiple seasons of difficulties and come out on top.
“He used to be shorter than me,” Vanni said. “I used to be able to beat him up but not anymore. He’s grown into a fine young man and obviously he’s kept his goals athletically, as well as more importantly, academically, on the forefront. You’ve got to commend somebody like that, that’s getting it done in the classroom and still suffering through injuries and trying to gain an athletic goal as well.
Certainly to be commended.”
Avila, who also plays water polo, kept up a 4.33 GPA this year and plans to wrestle and major in agricultural business for California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo -- one of the nation’s best agricultural schools.
“It’s always been one of my dreams since I was a little kid,” Avila said. “My top two were always(oklahoma State) and Cal Poly. They always kind of moved and shifted, depending on how it was. So getting to go and not only wrestle at a college but also go to one of the school’s I’ve always dreamed of is -I’m really happy and ecstatic about it.”