C-M has numbers to defend title

Nick Christensen

Thursday, Feb. 12, 2004 | 9:43 a.m.

With 11 wrestlers qualifying for the state tournament, one might think that Cimarron-Memorial coach Mike Garcia would be satisfied.

Think again.

"You always want more," Garcia said. "You can't ever be satisfied. We were pleased, but like I said, you want to have more."

Seven Spartans wrestlers won their weight class at last weekend's Sunset Region tournament, and another four earned automatic berths into their weight classes' eight-man fields. Cimarron will be the host for Saturday's 4A State Tournament at which the Spartans will try to defend their state championship.

And while the Spartans had a nearly 50-point advantage on Centennial for the Sunset title, Garcia is taking nothing for granted this weekend.

"Ourselves and Las Vegas," are the favorites, Garcia said. "Centennial has eight qualifiers, and they have a lot solid wrestlers... and Carson and Fallon from up north."

"Wow," Carson coach Dean Schmanski said when told of Cimarron's presence. "We're going to wrestle to the best of our ability, wherever we end up, we're going to end up."

But Schmanski added that the Senators do have a little experience facing the Cimarron juggernaut. Cimarron and Palo Verde were the two southern Nevada teams that participated in December's 87-team Reno Tournament of Champions.

"We did have a little exposure," Schmanski said. "They came up and took 24th, and Carson finished 20th. The coaches down there, the team has a great track record, they've had very successful program, we're going to do the best we can to show them a little bit what the North's about."

Centennial won in three weight classes at last weekend's region tournament, edging Spartans competitors in all three.

Across town, Las Vegas' reign over the Sunrise Region continued. Five Wildcats grapplers won their weight classes, guiding Las Vegas to an 18-point win for the region championship over Green Valley.

Green Valley had two winners, including Matt Conte at 145. One of Saturday's most highly anticipated matchups will be at that weight, where Conte is expected to meet Cimarron's Chase Pami in the finals.

Garcia and Palo Verde coach Kristopher Davis both said that the toughest competition would likely be at the 171 weight class.

"The biggest match I see in the first round is at 171, with TJ Geick and (Joe) Roman from Carson," Garcia said.

"(Coleman) Oswald is making a run at 171," Davis said. "He's really come on strong towards the end of the year."

But Davis said that it's tough to predict who'll show strong Saturday.

"It's hard to say. You can't count on high school kids to do much of anything, besides just show up," Davis said. "It all depends on how well they've prepared over the week and how mentally tough they are over a one day tournament, that is going to determine who's best kid out there. At any given time anybody can be beaten, so I'm thinking it's going to be an exciting day."