Mavericks eager for deep run in Mat Classic

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Mavericks are sending 25 wrestlers across both boys and girls squads to compete in the 4A bracket of the Mat Classic. For the boys, head coach Jose Tanguma said his wrestlers are ready to perform when the lights come on.   

“I feel very good with the kids we have going to state. These kids have been wrestling tough all year long, and I think they're ready for the big show right now,” he said.

The boys are taking 11 wrestlers to the Mat Classic. Tanguma emphasized his confidence in his wrestlers, believing as many as eight of them could become state placers this year.   

“The way I'm feeling right now and the way these kids have been wrestling, I believe we could have eight state placers. I believe Duane Zamora and Eli Anderson have a very strong chance to make the state finals,” the coach said.   

Throughout the season, the relatively young Mavericks squad has been looking to improve each time they touch a mat, whether it was at practice or a dual meet. As they have gained more experience this season, Tanguma feels they have become ready to rise to the occasion.   

“These guys have been grinding hard in the wrestling room, beating each other up, but it's going to show up (at the)  state tournament,” Tanguma said.   

One element that will play to their advantage is experience on the big stage, the coach said. The majority of the wrestlers appearing in the Mat Classic for the Mavericks have wrestled in the Tacoma Dome before.   

“Nine of the wrestlers that are going to the state tournament, they've already wrestled in the Tacoma Dome before. The atmosphere is different... you got a large crowd, and they feel a lot of pressure, but they've been there before, so they know what that feeling is. I believe they're going to have an edge,” Tanguma said.   

As they prepare, Tanguma and the Mavericks coaching staff are honing on technique and sharpening their skills as they cut down on live wrestling leading up to the tournament.   

“They're drilling hard in practice, and they're correcting their mistakes, and I believe that's what's going to help them out,” he said.   

For the girls, 14 wrestlers are set to compete in Tacoma, which exceeded their goal of 12, head coach Tony Lee said.   

“I definitely think we have the potential to make a make a good run at state. It's going to take everybody stepping up and doing their job,” he said. “It's got to be all 14 of them finding a way to score points for the team. And the ones that can place, they got to really go rounds and take it one match at a time and find a way to do what they got to do for the team.”   

As they prepare for the Mat Classic, Lee and the Mavericks wrestling program said they won’t make any drastic changes to their training routines. Maintaining a familiar rhythm is expected to be beneficial for a productive result in Tacoma.   

“(We) don't make a lot of drastic changes this late in the season. We kind of just try to stay in our rhythm of things and try to get healthy and be ready for the tournament,” Lee said.

With a large cohort of wrestlers competing, many have prior experience at the Mat Classic. Not only could this benefit those wrestlers in particular, but also any wrestlers who are competing for the first time in Tacoma.   

“I know they're probably going to have some jitters, especially the freshmen that are in there. We definitely have some good leaders on the team that have already kind of been there, done that. They know what it takes to go place there. They're able to have those conversations and be leaders through their example going into the tournament,” Lee said. 

    Elyssa Armendariz, in maroon, ties her opponent up on the mat in a previous dual earlier this season. Armendariz is one of 14 wrestlers from the Mavericks girls squad competing in the Mat Classic this year.
  

    Eli Anderson, top, pins his opponent to the mat in a previous match this season. Anderson will compete in the 215-lb class in the Mat Classic tournament.
  

    The Mavs’ Hayden Morris, in maroon, tries to turn her opponent on their back for a pinfall attempt in a match earlier this season.
  

    Duane Zamora, top, controls his opponents wrist while on the mat earlier this season. Head Coach Jose Tanguma said he feels confident Zamora can make it to the podium at the Mat Classic this year.
  

    The Mavs’ Trinity Town, in maroon, controls her opponent on the mat. Town will compete in the 105-lb class in the Mat Classic.