Las Vegas looks like the team to beat in state wrestling event

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Feb. 15, 2002 | 10:16 a.m.

His squad may not be favored, but Palo Verde wrestling coach Kris Davis has at least one good reason to believe his Panthers can capture the state title this weekend.

He needs only to look at the very team his Panthers will be chasing.

Last year, with most of the attention focused on two-time defending champion Cimarron-Memorial, Las Vegas High emerged to top the field and capture the 2001 state trophy.

Now, with the Wildcats favored to defend that championship on their home mat at the 2002 NIAA/U.S. Bank State Tournament, Davis' Panthers find themselves in a similar dark-horse position.

"Obviously, (Las Vegas is) the favorite and they'll get most of the attention," Davis said. "Hopefully, we can come in the back door and win it."

The Wildcats, who finished 12 points ahead of Cimarron last year, will bring a state-best 13 wrestlers to the event, with a competitor at every weight class except 112 pounds.

Palo Verde will have 12 grapplers, as will Green Valley, with Centennial, Rancho, Cimarron-Memorial and Northern Region champion Douglas each with 11.

"There are teams that can beat us," Las Vegas coach Joe LaRocco said. "We're pretty sure Palo Verde can beat us if they wrestle well and maybe Rancho and Centennial. And we don't know much about Douglas. So I don't see us as an overwhelming favorite."

The Wildcats will feature five No. 1 seeds: Josh Gaskins (140), Russell Duke (145), Evan Ellsworth (160), Chris Gifford (171) and Greg Gifford (189). The Gifford brothers, in particular, are favored to win individual championships.

Palo Verde, on the other hand, might find itself trying to win the team title without producing any individual champions. The Panthers' top two wrestlers -- brothers Ryan and Rusty Worthen -- could face stiff competition in the finals, with Ryan up against defending 215-pound state champion Chad Espinoza of Wooster and Rusty in the same draw as Chris Gifford, who beat Worthen in December.

Other local individuals expected to challenge for titles include: Rancho's Jered Medina (125) and Brian Waite (119), Centennial's Angelo Antuna (112) and Charlie Dentler (152), Basic's Duane Gonzales (103) and David Ochoa (112), Cheyenne's Chris Davey (130), Western's Jose Pineda (140), Mojave's Patrick Mills (103), Cimarron-Memorial's Rodrick Atwood (189), Coronado's Jason Maimes (130), Bonanza's Ben Ness (135) and Durango's Luke Doty.

Competition and runs all day today and Saturday. Championship finals are slated for 7 p.m. Saturday.