MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN – Three years ago, McAllen Rowe coach Arlan Garza heard the chatter about his boys wrestling team having no business finishing within the top 5 or 6 in district duals.
He boasted a young squad, and expectations at the time were understandably low. But his Warriors team finished in third place that year, coming within three points of winning duals and turning plenty of heads in the process.
“Nobody gave us a shot that year,” Garza said. “But I knew then we were laying the groundwork for special things to come.”
Ever since, the Warriors have continued to raise expectations, setting their sights on regionals and state. They’ve done it, in part, with Michael Basaldu and Stephen Ferrer, who were freshmen on that team at the time, and senior Frankie Tirado leading the way.
Last year, the three ignited a charge that won them a district dual title, going undefeated en route to a 13th-place finish in the state tournament.
Naturally, the Warriors have expectations of getting there once again. Each of those three wrestlers has a different motivating factor.
As a freshman, Basaldu was a district finalist before winning the title as a sophomore, going undefeated. Still, he came within one match of advancing to a state, a shortcoming that has largely fueled another undefeated mark this year in the 126-pound weight class.
“It’s haunted me ever since,” Basaldu said about the close calls. “But it makes me work harder every time. Just have to wrestle the way I wrestle and never underestimate anyone.”
It’s those experiences that have turned Basaldu into “a bull,” Garza said. He’s fundamentally sound and has a no-nonsense approach. His stance has improved, and from the opening whistle, Garza said, “you know he’s going to come at you. He’s going to put you on your heels.”
Like Basaldu, Ferrer, too, came within one match of going to state last year. This season, he’s been “too aggressive” at times for Garza’s liking. But he’s been able to harness that enthusiasm to develop an unquestioned work ethic, despite being sidelined with a shoulder injury.
As a freshman, Ferrer was in the same weight class (106) as Tirado, one year his senior. So Ferrer competed in junior varsity before finishing as a district runner-up as a sophomore. He used his jiu jitsu background to anchor him in wrestling, but he found himself going for pins right out of the gates.
Now, he says, he uses his technique to take matches in the second or third round.
“Just wrestling my best, and doing what I can to help my team,” Ferrer said.
Even with a bad shoulder, the junior is a regular at the school’s practice facility, whether rehabbing or asking for additional time on the mat.
“His main thing is, he does not know how to not work hard,” Garza said. “If he’s not running or lifting weights, he gets work in with whatever drills we’re running. The kid does not take breaks. He’s always trying to get better, refining his technique. He’s very motivated.”
Tirado, for his part, has his eye on winning state, after qualifying twice already. Wrestling in the 120 class, Tirado has developed into a more accurate wrestler, knowing when to pick and choose his spots. His relentlessness has carried him to a 17-1 record this year, establishing himself as a point-scorer first and foremost.
“He’s not worried about pinning anyone,” Garza said. “He’s really good on his feet. He’s very slick. He’s a quick wrestler, and he’s always looking to score points. And when you do that, you have a better chance of putting someone on their back. That’s an indication of a good wrestler.”
Experience and technique, Tirado said, is the theme for this senior year, his final opportunity to drape a state medal around his neck.
“It’s a lot more mental,” he said about his approaching to wrestling now. “I’m a lot smarter than before.”
Together, they’ve helped solidify Rowe as one of the better boys programs in the Valley. They finished first in the Dog Pound Classic recently, giving the lineup confidence across the boards that they could be in the mix once again at the state tournament.
“We do have a complete team, but I think these are the three guys people look at when they think of Rowe High School,” Garza said. “They don’t worry about trophies or medals. The only thing they worry about is how they could get better today. It’s not about trophies or finishing in first place. We don’t worry about that until they could get to that position.
“And as a staff, that’s all we could really ask for. Just keep wrestling.”