Wrestling hopes high

Tucumcari wrestling coach Eddie Encinias is feeling pretty blessed these days. When asked who he expects from his team to advance to the state tournament, he provides an answer many other coaches would envy.

"The whole team," he said.

"I'm looking for the whole team to go to state," he added. "I really am. They're good enough; they just have to wrestle to their potential. I'm very fortunate."

The Rattlers qualified 12 athletes to the state tournament last season.

Encinias has just three seniors - Kaleb Hayes, Rod Dunlap and Ricky Montano - on his roster from a team that finished 5-2 in dual meets last year. But the coach said he has an "excellent" group of juniors and sophomores.

That includes junior A'leaya Lucero, who's been with the Tucumcari wrestling program for five years and was the first girl to advance to the state tournament.

Encinias, in his 18th year of leading Rattlers wrestling, also mentioned juniors Joe Martinez and Julian Vargas as quality grapplers.

Tucumcari will receive an early test Saturday at the Los Lunas Duals.

"That's a tough one," Encinias said. "It will have all the big dogs from Class 4A and 5A. But it's a good thing. It'll give us a self-check."

Tucumcari's first home meet is at 4 p.m. Dec. 6 with the Rattler Home Tri. After that, the 21-team Rattler Invitational begins at 8 a.m. Dec. 15 at the Snake Pit.

In district competition, Tucumcari will have a far-flung schedule against West Las Vegas, Wingate, St. Michael's, Newcomb and Robertson.

"If everything works out and our weights are where they should be, we should be there fighting for the district championship with Robertson," he said.