Warriors keep strong though positive pattern, expectations

COULEE CITY - Remember that a Class B level school usually has a small student population.

Bearing this in mind, realize the sustainablilty of the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors' wrestling team.

Once again, the squad plans on making the trip west to the Tacoma Dome and Mat Classic XXIII when festivities begin this weekend.

Yes, once again ACH, as small a school as it may be, still remains relevant on the Class 2B/1B wrestling landscape and plans to make some noise when head coach Brandon Walsh and his four state qualifiers begin action Friday morning.

At bigger schools graduation losses can be replenished via large student body numbers.

But how do the Warriors sustain when the pipeline may offer less reinforcements?

"We've been pretty fortunate here to get some good, hard working kids over the years to turn out for wrestling," Walsh, who was named Region IV coach of the year, said. "That's no different this year.  Over the years we've tried to build a program from the elementary age up.  We don't do anything fancy as far as technique goes, but we do try and teach solid stuff and then push the kids to excel at what we do teach.  Long before I became the head coach here that foundation was established and I've just tried to follow that pattern."

That pattern has led to four qualifiers to state, headed by senior Zach Correll, regional champ at 285-pounds. Correll beat fellow Warrior and state qualifier, Jesse Billups in the final. 

"Zack has come on very strong in the second half of the season," Walsh said. "He's been in the finals of most of the tournaments we've wrestled in all season long.  He's a big, strong kid who's transitioned from being an athlete into a wrestler.  Zack's conditioning is superb and he wears heavyweights down.  If he makes it to the third period and the match is close, he'll usually come out on top."

As for Billups, considering his runner-up finish, he isn't that far behind.

"Jesse is a good wrestler but is on the small side of the heavyweight division," Walsh said. "He uses speed and technique to beat bigger kids. Jesse is a very good tournament wrestler.  This will serve him well at Regionals and hopefully state.

"Both Jesse and Zack have been in close matches with some of the best heavyweights in the "B" division and I think both of them have realistic goals of placing in Tacoma," Walsh added.

One of ACH's bigger threats for a medal could be 215-pounder, senior, Brandon Buche.

"Brandon is wrestling very well right now," Walsh said. "He is a small 215-pound wrestler, which plays into an advantage because he's pretty quick and very technically sound.  He uses his quickness and technique to beat kids bigger and stronger than him."

Buche finished fourth at regionals.

Sophomore Cody McCleary fills out ACH's dance card at 135-pounds.

"Cody is an outstanding athlete who might be peaking at the right time," Walsh said.  He pinned three kids at the district Tournament to finish in third."

These four give ACH a realistic chance for a strong finish in Tacoma.

"As a team I think we have a chance to finish on the Top 10 board," Walsh said. "Obviously we have to go and wrestle well in Tacoma for that to happen, but it's not an unrealistic goal.  If we do that I think our individuals will have lived up to their potential."

In order to do that, the Warriors may have to get past some familiar faces.

"It won't be easy though since every one of our guys is going to have to beat someone that they've lost to at one point in the season," Walsh said. "So hopefully they'll be ready."

Either way, Walsh believes he has his wrestlers in the particular groove they aimed for when the 2010-11 campaign started.

"Our goals and expectations for the beginning of the season was to try and be peaking at this time," Walsh said. "Hopefully we're doing that.  It's always our goal to advance as many guys as possible to the state tournament.  This year was no exception and it panned out a little better than we hoped it might."

ALMIRA/COULEE-HARTLINE WARRIORS

Head coach: Brandon Walsh

2010-2011 State Finish:  in Class 1B

2010-2011 Dual Record: not applicable

2010-2011 League Finish: not applicable

2010-2011 District Finish: Sixth

2010-2011 Regional Finish: Seventh

2010-2011 State Qualifiers (Name, weight class, first round opponent, time): Cody McCleary 

(sophomore, 135-pounds, vs. Cesar Espinoza, Kittitas, 11:28 a.m.), Brandon Buche (senior, 215-pounds, vs. Brandon Drye, LaConner, 1:12 p.m.), Zack Correll (senior, 285-pounds, vs. Damon Dixon, Wilbur-Creston, 1:36 p.m.), and Jesse Billups (junior, 285-pounds, vs. Nathan Parker, LaConner, 1:28 p.m.).