Cougars set the stage for title run

REARDAN - Let the countdown begin.

In six days, fans of Warden Cougars wrestling will know if they have indeed added to their state championship portfolio.

After Saturday's dominating performance at their Regional tournament in Reardan, it appears that Class 2B may lie in the path of a powerhouse program ready to take their place back on the throne as 13 of the Warden wrestlers qualified for the state finals starting on Friday.

Warden scored 255.5 points to secure a convincing tournament win over Kittitas (193.5) and defending state champions, Reardan (128).

"We had a good weekend," Warden head coach Rick Bowers said. "We had some semifinals where we lost but had come close. We could have had seven guys in the finals with a little bit luck.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline finished seventh with 82 points.

The top five finishers in each weight class advanced to Mat Classic.

Warden was led by individual champions Javier Tapia (112-pounds, first-period pin), J.P. Martinez (119-pounds, 18-2 win), and Sam Suarez (140-pounds, 7-4 win),

"Those three have been consistently rock solid all season," Bowers said. "They are one of the foundations of the squad and that's why they are all captains of the team."

The Cougars also had a runner-up finisher in Hector Camacho, who dropped a 7-5 decision at 152-pounds.

ACH's Zack Correll took the 285-pound title over Warrior teammate Jesse Billups via injury forfeit.

"Our big guys are wrestling very tough right now and hopefully they come ready for the challenge of Mat Classic," ACH head coach Brandon Walsh said. "It was great to have two guys in the final at heavyweight, those to kids, along with our 215 pounder, push each other in the wrestling room every day and it paid off this weekend."

Leading a cast of six third-place Warden finishers were Ramses Rodelo (112-pounds), Scott Henderson (135-pounds), Kenny Sullivan (160-pounds), Adam Hansen (189-pounds), Gerino Luna (215-pounds), and Matthew DeLeon (285-pounds).

"Hansen, DeLeon, Henderson, Gerino lost very close semifinal matches," Bowers said. "So they know that's where they are at. These are all kids we know we can beat. I'm new to the B's again but the premiere programs are Kittitas, Reardan, and Warden, along with some rogue wrestlers in the west. So it's a high likelihood we will see them in the semifinals or the finals depending on the matchups."

Luna won by injury default over ACH's Brandon Buche in the third/fourth-place match.

Carlos Gomez finished fourth at 125-pounds for the Cougars.

Fifth-place finishers who also take the trip to Tacoma are Warden's Jesus Dominguez (103-pounds), and Cesar Rangel (140-pounds).

ACH's fourth state qualifier was Cody McCleary who captured fifth at 135-pounds.

"I thought we wrestled well this weekend," Walsh said. "The kids battled hard in every match, even those kids who didn't advance.  Obviously it was pretty exciting to get four guys through to the state tournament, and then to do it by winning some exciting matches made it even better."

Walsh was named the 2011 Regional Coach of the Year and earned the award for the second time in his career.