Moses Lake a title contender in 4A

TACOMA — The Moses Lake wrestling room bustled toward the end of Tuesday night’s practice, a rarity for most wrestling programs in the state when the calendar turns to late February.

The district and regional tournaments usually trim rosters before the final meet of the season. Sure, the Chiefs lost some wrestlers after the district meet, however, 13 wrestlers traveled to Issaquah for regionals and 13 returned to Moses Lake with state tournament bids.

“In years past it feels like it also gets emptier and emptier and it got empty after districts, but then having the same guys in here it’s real nice because we’re getting used to everyone’s shots and stuff and it feels like drilling’s gotten a whole lot better,” junior Cruz Vasquez said.

Vasquez, a returning third-place finisher, highlights a Chiefs group that has inserted itself into the state championship conversation after a nearly perfect regional tournament. Perfection might have been winning the regional title, but head coach Jaime Garza was thrilled to close the scoring gap with Sunnyside and qualify one more wrestler than the rival Grizzlies.

Reigning champion Chiawana is the team to beat, but Moses Lake is now firmly in the mix after rising to fourth in the Washington Wrestling Report team rankings. Tahoma is ranked second and Sunnyside is third.

“As soon as we got back — we’ve been saying state champs like, ‘State champs on three!’” Vasquez said. “But I feel like a lot more people, they felt a lot more passionate about it.”

Moses Lake has the top-end talent to make a run at another team title. Vasquez placed third as a sophomore and is ranked third in the 160-pound division.

“I feel like what happened last year where I turned it on at state is gonna happen this year,” Vasquez said. “I’ve just been getting mentally prepared and getting ready for state.”

Jonathan Tanguma is ranked second and has only lost twice this season, both times to top-ranked Jaden Sanchez of Davis. Hunter White was a district and regional runner-up, and is currently ranked fourth at 132 pounds. Max Zamora has steadily improved throughout the season and captured a district and regional championship on his way to Tacoma. 182-pounder Everett Ashley also has state tournament experience.

For Moses Lake to make the kind of run it has the potential to make, some of the newcomers will have to reach the second day of placing rounds. Freshmen Jeremiah Martinez and Saul Salinas have been a boon in their first varsity season. Salinas was a district finalist and took third at regionals; Martinez nabbed the last state berth with a fourth-place finish at 106 pounds.

“We’re more focused,” Vasquez said of the state tournament atmosphere. “We don’t talk as much. We’re just a lot more serious, everything is kind of straight to the point.”

First round matches

106: Jeremiah Martinez vs. Jason Franklin (University)

106: Saul Salinas vs. Craig Porter (Camas)

113: Jonathan Tanguma vs. Christoper Trevino (Thomas Jefferson)

126: Ryan Grubb vs. Chase Randall (Mead)

132: Camron Regan vs. Ryan Clark (Mead)

132: Hunter White vs. Miguel Hinojosa (Pasco)

138: Lerenz Thomas vs. Johnny Mason (Mead)

145: Max Zamora vs. Ben Mitchell (Mead)

152: Jayden Adame vs. Darion Johnson (Chiawana)

160: Cruz Vasquez vs. Jake Schweyen (Puyallup)

182: Everett Ashley vs. JT Connors (Mead)

220: Andrew Kile vs. Tyler Cook (Mead)

285: Saul Villa vs. Wyatt Hall (Lake Stevens)