‘It’s starting to feel like the old Moses Lake team again’

MOSES LAKE — Between the Moses Lake boys and girls wrestling programs, the Mavericks will have nearly 100 wrestlers for the upcoming 2024-25 season. 

Moses Lake has 40 girls registered to wrestle this season, including 17 freshmen; the high turnout from the freshmen class stems from a strong middle school program, as well as the team’s success at the state tournament in recent years, head coach David Peralez said. 

“We went down with the high schoolers to recruit middle school girls to get some more to try and get that opportunity,” Peralez said. “We’ve always been trying to push that the future of wrestling is also with the girls, and we want to continue to have that growth.” 

The Mavericks had 55 wrestlers turn out for their boys wrestling team, according to head coach Jose Tanguma.  

“We’re really pushing them right now, and they’re staying — they want to stay in that room, and that’s what I’m liking.” 

Each team features wrestlers returning with the experience of taking the mat at the Tacoma Dome; for the Moses Lake boys, junior Ian Garza, sophomore Duane Zamora, senior Drayden Gaither and sophomore Trenton Vazquez will be back with the team this winter. 

Zamora is the lone returning placer, taking seventh in the 120-pound class during his freshman campaign. He defeated Richland’s Drayson Elfering in a 4-3 decision in the seventh/eighth-place match. 

“Those four, all of them, they’re hungry,” Tanguma said. “They tasted wrestling at the Tacoma Dome, and they want to go back there. They want to be on top of that podium. Those kids right now, they’re putting in the work in the wrestling room. They’re setting themselves some high goals, and I believe they can get there.” 

The Mavericks had another 2024 placer along with Zamora; Dayton Regan, who finished second in the 150-pound class and graduated last June. 

“(Zamora) got a taste being on the podium, and he’s hungry,” Tanguma said. “He wants to be the No. 1 guy in the state, and he’s been putting in the work.” 

Junior Reese Prescott is the lone state veteran for the Moses Lake girls wrestling team; Prescott has posted back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Mat Classic. 

Prescott joined now-graduated Ashley Naranjo at the Mat Classic last season as Moses Lake’s two representatives in the Girls 3A/4A tournament. Naranjo was undefeated during her time at Moses Lake, winning three state titles.  

“Reese has so much knowledge and experience. She’s understood what it’s like to work really hard to get to the level that she’s at,” Peralez said. “The accountability of what it means to show up to practice every single day. I think that with the significant amount of freshmen that we have this year, they have a leader they can look at.” 

Both teams remained busy during the off-season; the boys team hosted a wrestling camp in Moses Lake, which was joined by the wrestling team from Burlington-Edison. A group of Maverick wrestlers also traveled to Pasco for the Washington State Wrestling Association Freestyle State Tournament in May, where senior Ian Garza qualified to wrestle at USA Wrestling’s national tournament in Fargo, N.D., in July. 

“It was good. A lot of team bonding, and the kids really came together and they set goals for this upcoming season,” Tanguma said. “The camp was great for them.” 

For the girls team, activities included traveling to camps in Chelan and Pasco, along with plenty of open mat time at the high school. 

“It’s been a very consistent, non-stop grind,” Peralez said. 

The Moses Lake girls featured a young team a year ago, having lost several seniors from its Girls 3A/4A state championship-winning team in 2022-23. With an extra year of experience, Peralez anticipates the returning wrestlers to make a significant jump in production this season. 

“I think freshman year is very much a learning year; you’re learning what a real high school practice is like, you’re learning all this new technique, you’re learning how to watch film on opponents and what it’s like to break down matches,” Peralez said.  

One of those wrestlers is sophomore Kamilah Martinez, a captain this year that Peralez highlighted. 

“She is one that has worked all summer, no days off,” Peralez said. “This kid is one of the hardest workers that I have ever seen. She’ll dedicate all her time and she’s a great listener.” 

Last season the Moses Lake boys brought nine wrestlers to the regional tournament in Yakima, but only four made it through to the state tournament. Tanguma said to bring more wrestlers to the Mat Classic, it’ll come down to “the intensity in the room.” 

“Right now, the kids, they’re showing that they want it. They’re pushing themselves in that room right now,” he said. “I believe them coming together and training right now, leading them, it’s going to help them get there.” 

Both teams open the 2024-25 season with a dual at Eastmont on Dec. 11. Wrestling begins at 6 p.m. 

“They’re understanding now that Moses Lake has a rich wrestling history — we've got the most state titles in the state of Washington, and I told them that we can go out there and get that 19th (title),” Tanguma said. “It’s starting to feel like the old Moses Lake team again, where these guys are hungry out there and they know they’re the big dogs in the league.” 

    Moses Lake junior Reese Prescott, top, has recorded back-to-back second place finishes at the state tournament. Prescott is the only girls wrestler with state experience this season.
  

    Moses Lake sophomore Duane Zamora, top, stands up after winning a match at the Mat Classic in February. Zamora took seventh in the 4A 120-pound weight class last season and is Moses Lake’s only returning placer in boys wrestling.
  

    The Mavericks will be without Ashley Naranjo, top left, who graduated in June. Naranjo was an undefeated three-time state champion during her time with Moses Lake.
  

    Moses Lake senior Drayden Gaither, top, wrestles at the state tournament in Tacoma last season. Head Coach Jose Tanguma said Gaither has stepped up as a leader in the wrestling room this season.