Moses Lake in a 'dogfight' for state hardware

MOSES LAKE — The up-tempo beat of The Notorious B.I.G.’s posthumous hit “Notorious B.I.G.” blared through the speakers inside Moses Lake’s wrestling room.

Upward of 15 pairs of wrestlers sparred across the maroon mats urged on by Puff Daddy’s words on the hook: “C’mon... we are, we are NO, NO, NO, NOTORIOUS!”

Moses Lake will have to bring a different attitude this season; no longer the reigning state champion or even a favorite for this year’s title.

“It’s fair to say that we aren’t favored to win a state title,” head coach Jaime Garza said. “I’ve known that probably for the last six weeks... This is going to be challenging, but what that does is that just means that we have to focus on out-working our opponents, out-techniquing them, wrestling always with a purpose and that purpose is to not give up a take-down, not give up a simple escape, reversal, whatever that may be and hone in on our position and ensuring that we’re not going to give up those easy points.

“We’ve got to out-work every team in the state. We have to and that’s just the way it is. I love the technique portion of it, but when it comes down to it we have to be able to go out there and battle with a kid from Lake Stevens, a kid from Tahoma, a kid from Curtis, a kid from South Kitsap for six minutes and endure that and come out there and rely on our conditioning, rely on our technique and go out there and pull out a big win and we’re capable of doing that.”

Tahoma is the early favorite with four returning state placers: Nick Whitehead (126), Justin Sipila (132), Ryden Fu (138) and Dagen Kramer (195). Lake Stevens graduated two state champions, but returned placers Jacob Bennett (106), Nathan Scilley (113) and Malachi Lawrence (160).

Sunnyside, which won the District 6 championship last season, returns three state placers: Jose Campos (106), Elias Romero (113) and Josiah Rodriguez (126).

Moses Lake brings back state finalist Nick Hara (120), third-place Hunter Cruz (138) and sixth-place Chandler Fluaitt. With every other 2016 placer graduated, Fluaitt has a strong chance to return to the state semifinals and contend for a state championship.

Hara lost 7-5 in overtime to Sunnyside senior Jacob Mendoza in the championship final and will be a favorite in whatever weight he competes at. Cruz bowed out to the eventual 138-pound state champion in the quarterfinals last season before winning three more matches.

Payton Castro, a state participant, also returns for the Chiefs. Castro worked to improve his weaknesses in the off-season and through summer camps.

“A lot of the stuff that I wasn’t well rounded at last year is what I’m working on,” he said.

Moses Lake’s tournament schedule looks largely the same as last year aside from one change — a trip to the Gut Check Invitational in early January instead of the Rollie Lane Invitational. Garza said the change was to help get a better look at teams from the South Puget Sound League, such as Curtis, Puyallup, Graham-Kapowsin and South Kitsap.

The Chiefs will also dual Lake Stevens and Othello at home on Dec. 22.

“It’s going to be a great night of wrestling and I’m excited to bring two powerhouses from the Columbia Basin with, it’d be fair to say, the reigning champions two out of three years,” Garza said. “They (Lake Stevens) hold the crown and it’s well deserved for them so to have Moses Lake, Lake Stevens and Othello all in the same gym — though Lake Stevens will not be dualing Othello — just to have everyone there it’s going to be an exciting day for wrestling in the Columbia Basin.”

More, Moses Lake hosts Columbia Basin Big Nine foes West Valley, Davis and Eastmont throughout the season.

The huddle after Tuesday’s practice broke with “state champs!”

For Moses Lake to add another title, the unknown will have join the known. Wrestlers like Cyrus Knoll, Daiman Vasquez, Beau Mauseth and Christien Knopp need to make a remarkable run as upperclassmen.

“A lot of us younger guys we’re stepping up right now,” Castro said. “Working and improving every day and pushing it a lot harder than we were last year.”