ML girls wrestling receives national honorable mention

MOSES LAKE — Wrestling season may be over, but the honors keep coming in for the Moses Lake girls wrestling team.

The Mavericks received an honorable mention in the final National Girls High School Team Rankings released by USA Wrestling last week. The selection committee is composed of members from USA Wrestling, FloWrestling and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum.

“It’s everything that we worked so hard for, as far as the team and coaches,” Moses Lake Head Coach David Peralez said. “We’re trying to build something that the community can really support and really be proud of. It’s amazing how fast in the last two years we’ve been able to get recognized on the national level.”

Moses Lake finished the 2022-2023 season with a team title in the 3A/4A division at the 2023 Mat Classic in Tacoma. Toppenish, who won a team title in the girls 2A/1A/2B/1B division at the Mat Classic, was the only other team from Washington to be represented in the rankings (No. 2).

“We have something to live up to,” Peralez said. “I’m never really going to be satisfied. I know we won a state title, but every year’s going to be a clean slate. Like I tell the team: win or lose, you don’t ride the highs too much and you don’t ride the lows too much. Once the new season comes, you’ve got to reset that mindset and refocus for another state championship.”

Being nationally recognized will only further the goals for next year, Peralez said.

“Now that we’ve made honors, I want to be in the top 40,” Peralez said. “I want to continue to climb and build something special here. We’re not going to be satisfied with what we accomplished this year; we’re going to continue to build on that and see if we can get even better.”

Peralez, who just finished his second year as head coach, has said throughout the season that he wants the Maverick girls to have the same success and legacies that previous boys wrestlers have had at Moses Lake.

“I want them to have that same experience, I want them to have a program in Moses Lake that’s going to support them as much as they’ve supported the guys,” Peralez said. “They get to live the dreams that every wrestler from Moses Lake has had for the last 50-60 years. They want their name on the wall, they want to be part of a state title team and they want to be recognized nationally. The girls are doing it at such a fast pace and I think it’s an incredible thing that they’re achieving.”

Ten Mavericks wrestled under the lights of the Tacoma Dome at the Mat Classic back in February: senior Jhaile de Guzman, freshman Nyellie Martinez, senior Brianna Martinez, junior Ashley Naranjo, freshman Reese Prescott, senior Bianca Johnson, junior Gabriela Vela, senior LaKailey Rodriguez, senior Kathryn Pugh and sophomore Katelyn Rodriguez. Johnson and Prescott advanced to the finals in their respective brackets, while Naranjo brought home her second straight state title.

“I hope that it shows that wrestling is not just a guys' sport,” Peralez said. “I think parents should be more encouraging of allowing girls to wrestle and see that they’re just as tough as the guys.”

For a full list of the rankings by USA Wrestling, visit bit.ly/3Mbm6hR.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.