Columnist Spencer Patterson: Cimarron wrestlers are in the cross hairs

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001 | 10:20 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's prep sports column appears Thursday. Reach him at 259-4085 or spencer@lasvegassun.com.

No sooner had Cimarron-Memorial claimed its second straight 4A state wrestling title last year than thoughts turned to the Spartans' chances for a three-peat in 2001.

With plenty of talented returners, including four state placers, Cimarron was installed as the odds-on favorite long before this season began.

But when the two-day 4A State Meet gets under way Friday in Elko, the Spartans will have their work cut out for them. A pack of hungry challengers -- led by a dangerous Las Vegas High squad -- will be gunning for the champs.

"I think there's going to be a few teams fighting until the end," Cimarron coach Mike Garcia said. "It's a lot like the first year we won it (1999) -- a crapshoot with a lot of teams involved."

Along with the Wildcats, Rancho -- featuring light weight title hopefuls Chase Diller (112), Jered Medina (119), Bill Rosado (125) and Josh Medina (145) -- could figure into the title chase

And though top northern contenders Sparks, Carson and the host Indians bring fewer wrestlers into the event than their southern counterparts, the state's upper half showed it cannot be taken for granted last year, taking nine of 14 individual titles.

Above all, however, the Wildcats go in as the chief threat to another maroon and silver celebration, largely on the strength of their 7.5-point victory over the Spartans at last month's 29-team Pine View Invitational.

Las Vegas coach Joe LaRocco said he downplayed a potential battle with Cimarron in practice this week. "I know they are the two-time state champions, but I don't want our guys thinking about them," he said. "We've got to come to wrestle."

The Spartans qualified all 14 wrestlers for this weekend's event, but lost 140-pounder Nate Stephan to injury after Saturday's Sunset Region Tournament. Rancho will send 12, with Las Vegas close behind with 11.

Once again, Cimarron will be led by 152-pound senior Rayes Gonzales, a state champion in 1999 and a runner-up last year. The Spartans will also look to their heavy weights trio of Joe Tussing (189), Rodrick Atwood (215) and Brandon Garcia (275) for points.

The Wildcats also excel in the upper weights, setting up a potential team title showdown in Saturday's final matches. At last week's Sunrise Regional, Evan Ellsworth (152), Chris Gifford (160), Greg Gifford (171), David Hales (189) and Jacob Hales (215) won five consecutive title matches.

Other local wrestlers to watch include: Durango's Alan McIver (119), Chaparral's Curtis Johnson (130), Bonanza's Ben Ness (130), Palo Verde's Ryan Worthen (189), Centennial's Angelo Antuna (103) and Ryan Bundra (171) and Silverado's Michael Castle (119) and V.R. Bohman (275).

Top northern wrestlers include: Elko's Forrest Bogue (112) and Shawn Reilly (160), Wooster's Zach Lazzari (140) and Chad Espinoza (215) and McQueen's Ryan Bader (189).

"I met with my principal and we agreed that my heart wasn't really into it anymore," Stevens said. "I still want to coach. I just didn't want to be a head coach at Western anymore."

Stevens' teams combined for a 37-19 record and made the playoffs in each of his five seasons. A '78 Western graduate, he won a state title as a player in 1976, then led the Warriors to their next state championship 20 years later in his first season as coach.

Two area girls soccer players are set to sign letters of intent with Division I schools. Chaparral midfielder Jacqueline Fahrney will sign with Northern Arizona on Friday, while Cimarron defender Krystian James is expected to sign with Pittsburgh next week.