By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
Without a full team, the Edinburg High boys wrestling squad is still a work in progress.
In duals competition, the Bobcats are 0-2. Yet, the team has enjoyed success in recent tournaments with Albert Lopez, Israel Lopez and Nathan Mares. All three juniors won their respective weight classes the past two meets and have a combined for a 22-2 record, with the Lopez twins undefeated.
Though he weighs between 161 and 162 pounds, Mares has held his own in the 170-pound weight class. All three are technically sound, and have shown signs of improvement since qualifying for regionals last year. Albert Lopez, at 126, is a state qualifier.
“They’ve been able to master some more moves, and now they realize that after going to regionals, they want more. They really do,” Edinburg coach Jeff Moubray said. “They talk about it all the time. They want to out-do what they did the year before.”
As a team, that means improving on their ninth-place finish at the District 16-6A championship. Individually, however, that means qualifying for state, and perhaps even placing.
“Now our focus is moving up the ladder,” Moubray said. “We feel things are moving along well for a third-year program, and we want to keep doing better.”
The biggest hurdle for the Bobcats is La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, which has finished above Edinburg each time this year.
So far, the Bobcats have 10 of 14 slots occupied, and are looking to bring along other wrestlers to fill out their team.
“If things can come together like we hope, we should have a solid showing at district,” Moubray said.
HITTING THE MARK
With a runner-up finish at the Wildcat Classic in Weslaco, and a third-place mark at the Warrior Classic in McAllen, La Joya High’s girls wrestling team appears on track to hit a season goal.
Heading into this year, coach Roy Rosas challenged his team to place in the top 3 in the District 16-6A championship in February. Their recent string of success suggests they should be in the running.
They’ve grown since finishing seventh out of 15 teams at district last year, with six of 24 returners back in the fold. Stephanie Rosas, who is the 185-pound weight class, is the only state qualifier back. Since transferring from La Joya Palmview, Rosas has stepped up big for the Lady Coyotes, losing only once this season.
Newcomer Janelle Encina (165), Elizabeth Ochoa (138), Rosie Ramirez (128) and Yahida Tavarez (148). Despite wrestling in the 185 class, Encina won in Weslaco, while Ochoa has placed in the top three the past two tournaments.
“Like anything, when you have numbers, everybody’s pushing everybody,” Rosas said. “There’s 10 weight classes and I have 24 girls. So it’s either ‘get going or you’re going to watch somebody else wrestle.’ It’s a good situation for us.
“As long as we keeping work, we should be competitive.”
TOURNAMENT ACTION
The Valley will host 25 schools between two tournaments starting today. The second annual Dog Pound Classic at McAllen High starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. The championship matches are expected to begin around 4 or 5 p.m.
It features Edinburg High, Edinburg North, McAllen High, McAllen Rowe, Mission High, PSJA Southwest, San Benito, Sharyland High, Sharyland Pioneer, Rio Grande City, Weslaco High and Weslaco East.
The third annual Mustang Invitational at McAllen Memorial has 14 teams with Donna High, Donna North, Edinburg Economedes, Edinburg Vela, Grulla, La Joya High, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, La Joya Palmview, McAllen Memorial, Mission Veterans Memorial, PSJA High, PSJA Memorial, PSJA North and Rio Grande City.
The two-day tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. today and Saturday.