CWAC wrestlers ready to take a run at Toppenish

Thing about wrestling is, it’s just two men and a circle. Start the clock, let’s see what you have.

The Columbia Basin wrestling mecca has been turning out studs for years and the Central Washington Athletic Conference is ready to take some of that blood, sweat and struggle from the room to the spotlight. They open the season at the Leonard Schutte Invitational on Dec. 10.

The Othello Huskies return eight guys that helped them to a fourth-place finish at the 2A state tournament a year ago. They did lose state champion Alejandro Cardenas (126) and state runner-up Anthony Ruiz (195) to graduation.

The Huskies also suffered another blow when state placer Abel Gomez tore an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during football and will not wrestle this season. But it’s next man up and head coach Rudy Ochoa II has a solid lineup of veterans to lead the charge.

“We definitely have depth and we have experience that’s pretty spread out throughout our lineup,” Ocha II said. “It’s helpful having the veterans in the lineup. The young kids feed off their energy. They’ve been working hard in the room and they’re ready to go.”

The Huskies were second at districts and second at the regional tournament. They came up big with a fourth-place finish at the 2A state tournament, just six points out of third.

The haven’t solidified lineup they’ll use, but they do have a salty bunch in state tournament talent returning in Chris Melo (106), Jeremy Mendez (113), Ben Garza (113), Collin Freeman (152), Reese Jones (160), T.J. Martinez (182) and heavyweight Chemi Cantu.

“I expect our veteran leadership to lead by example,” Ochoa II said. “They want to carry on our tradition. We’re ready to go.”

The Huskies also return Sterling Roylance, Asai Villarreal, Tyler Wagner, Bernie Garza Jr., Isaiah Munguia, Kobe Escamilla, Gage Pruneda, Juan Martinez and Levi Garza.

“Our young guys have some experience. We have a good middle school program, so they’re getting experience before they get to the high school,” Ochoa II said.

Toppenish is the defending 2A state champions and the obvious team to beat in the CWAC, but if you ask around, Othello is in the conversation.

“Toppenish is without a doubt the team at the top. Ellensburg is going to be tough. Othello will have a tough team. Wapato has several state veterans coming back,” Ephrata coach P.J. Anderson said.

The Tigers are great in numbers and short on experience this season. A lot of Anderson’s lineup doesn’t have a driver’s license yet. But their drive in the room will take them to great places.

“We’re pretty young. We have three seniors in the lineup, then it’s a bunch of sophomores with varsity experience,” he said. “We’re a year away from really putting the lineup together we want, but they’re all ready to get out there and make some noise.”

Seniors Drew Anderson (195), Cole Spencer (170) and Cade Cox (132) will lead a lineup that cut its teeth with the Ephrata Wrestling Club. Guys like sophomore Sammy Flores (106), sophomore Juan Mendoza (126) and heavyweight Daniel Mendoza are ready to meet the challenge.

“We have kids that want to work and what needs to be done,” Anderson said. “They’re just young. They’re doing the right things. They work like crazy in the room and they’re getting better every day. Effort is how you make a name and that’s what we’re working to do.”

The Tigers open the season on Saturday at the Davis Invitational.

Quincy graduated Iche Ramirez (182), who finished fifth at last year’s state tournament, and return two-time state participant Rey Rubio (285).

The Jacks finished 5-7 overall in their dual schedule, which included a 36-28 win over Ephrata.

Quincy begins its season with a non-league dual against Warden at home today at 7 p.m. and the Bob Mars Invitational Saturday at Kennewick High School.