By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
Fueled by her shortcomings at the regional championships a year ago, Edinburg Vela’s Alexis Altamira has put together her best season to date.
Wrestling in the 119-pound weight class, Altamira has amassed a 23-3 record, having won the Mustang Invitational and ECISD Invitational. Coach Jody Cantu lauds the junior for her assertiveness and conditioning this season, saying it’s helped her avoid getting pinned early on.
“The referee blows the whistle, and she goes,” Cantu said. “She just swarms her opponents. She’s bringing more technical advances to her wrestling matches, and she’s pretty good at breaking down girls when she’s on top.”
Part of that is due to experience, Cantu said. But Altamira has also improved defensively, especially with opponents on top of her.
“It’s hard for girls to maintain full control of her,” Cantu said. “She does a good job of not giving up back points and avoiding initial take-down shots.
“I know last year, even as a sophomore, she was super competitive. She was disappointed she didn’t qualify to state. So coming in this year, that’s her biggest goal: to win district, qualify for regionals and qualify for state.”
Altamira finished outside the top-four bubble, while her sister, Andrea Altamira, advance to state.
Cantu said it’s helped Alexis practice with more focus and intensity this year.
As she goes, so do the Lady SaberCats, who have won four of five tournaments this season, and are looking to improve on last year’s runner-up finish at the District 16-5A championship.
TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Following an offseason attending camps and working on their technique, Edinburg Economedes juniors Sabrina Morua (138) and Kassandra Castillo (148) have made significant strides from a year ago.
Morua is 17-3, after winning the ECISD Tournament and Mustang Invitational. Castillo, who was the lone member from the Economedes girls team to qualify for state last year, is now 18-4. She finished second in district and in regionals a year ago, and fell short of placing at state.
Stronger and more aggressive, coach Edith Lozano believes both are favorites to at least reach regionals this year.
“They’re our leaders,” Lozano said. “They do really well academically. They’re taking AP classes, top 10 in their class. All that good stuff. They’ve done a great job this year.”
PICKING UP STEAM
With two state qualifiers, Grulla’s boys team has built a 6-2 record with district fast approaching.
Victor Segura, who is the only senior on the team, has an 18-0 individual record this year in the 113 division. He’s qualified for state in each of his first three seasons.
In the 152 class, junior Angel Zuniga is 20-0.
Grulla is the Valley’s only Class 4A school with a wrestling program. Last year it finished fifth in the District 16-5A championships, and it will once again take part in the meet Feb. 3-4 at Mission Veterans Memorial.