Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari High School wrestling coach Tim Clark guides his athletes through conditioning drills last week at the Rhodes Field House. Both the THS boys and girls squads begin their seasons on the road Saturday.
Tucumcari High School boys wrestling coach Tim Clark thinks his team will have a pretty good season.
But he has to get his athletes into shape first.
Clark said many didn't begin practice in early November in the best of condition. Since that time, Clark says he's held two workouts a day and will continue to do so until the Rattler Invitational on Dec. 21.
"We've been going to the weight room, and then Tuesdays and Thursdays we've been doing conditioning here in the gym. The biggest reason I did it was I really wanted to see if they were committed to the program or not," he said.
The boys team begins its season Saturday at the Tom Torres Duals meet at Los Lunas.
The same day, the girls team goes to the Highland Girls Invitational in Albuquerque.
Clark said he has high hopes for senior Josh Pacheco, who finished fifth in his weight class during last season's state tournament.
"Josh has been wrestling in Amarillo with the all summer long, and he's been doing really good in USA tournaments," he said. "He's been wrestling since we finished (last season) in February."
Clark said Pacheco would wrestle in either the 145-pound or 152-pound weight class.
Clark said he was confident that junior Fernando Ureste would qualify for state again. The state semifinalist qualified last season at 133 pounds; he likely will wrestle at 139 this season.
JT Turpin also made it to the state tournament, but he needs medical clearance first after a physical examination found a suspected heart murmur.
At the heavyweight division, Clark said he has Benny Garcia and Isaiah Ureste.
Clark also mentioned Josiah Sanchez being a potentially strong wrestler on his squad
Clark has a bunch of wrestlers in the middle weights.
"I have about seven kids in that middle-weight group at 139 to 160, and we're probably going to have to do some serious wrestle-offs to determine who gets in the lineup," he said.
"I'm not afraid of wrestle-offs. They make it competitive, and it pushes the kids."
Asked about his team's biggest strength, Clark said experience.
"We have some kids that have been in the program since middle school, and they know the moves," he said. "They know how to do some of that stuff."
With realignment, Tucumcari was placed into a new district. Clark said West Las Vegas probably will be the most formidable foe standing in the way of the Rattlers winning a district title.
Other teams in Tucumcari's District 2 are Pecos, Raton, Robertson and St. Michael's.
On the girls team, two-time state qualifier MiKayla Klinger, a senior, needs medical clearance before getting on the mat. Clark said Klinger still is suffering from the effects of a concussion she sustained late last season, and her return appears questionable.
Another wrestler, Brook Garcia, suffered a knee injury and also needs medical clearance.
Clark said he likes what he sees so far with Daniella Garcia (120 pounds), Jocelyn Lopez (100 and Sarah Sanchez (114).
The Lady Rattlers are in Region 1, which includes more than 30 other schools.
