Fargo

Eastwood Wrestlers Come Back Home to Hero's Welcome

By Courtesy Luis Rico

Sunday, July 25, 2010 - 9:26pm

Sunday, July 25: This week in Fargo, North Dakota the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships are taking place. Every year the nations best high school athletes gather at the nations largest wrestling competition in the world. Fargo is where future collegiate and eventual World and Olympic Champions showcase their skills in the international styles of Greco-Roman and Freestyle.

After an All-American performance at Freshman High School nationals in Virginia Beach Devin Vasquez (Cadet 130lbs) once again made the podium placing 6th out of 54 competitors earning All-American honors in Greco-Roman. After making it out of pool B, he eventually lost to Jesse Carlisle of Utah and returning All-American and Fila Cadet Champion Brandon Jeske of Virginia.

Fresh of his State Championship season this year at Eastwood High, Andy Rico (Junior 145lbs), with 77 competitors in his bracket, fought his way into the finals. After ringing off 4 straight wins yesterday, Andy suffered a 5th round loss, but battled back in the round robins to earn a spot in the finals against Dylan Ness of Minnesota. Andy lost two straight periods to Ness to earn a 2nd place finish. Ness a MN 3A state champion and a multiple high school All-American and will follow in his older brother Jayson's foot steps and wrestle for the powerhouse Golden Gophers at the University of Minnesota, where Jayson was a 2010 NCAA Champion and 4 time All-American.

This has been a big year for the city of El Paso in the sport of wrestling. An even bigger year at Eastwood High winning their 7th straight district title, placing in the top 10 at State Duals and the State Tournament. Even more so these to kids are not only high school teammates, they are also club teammates with the Texas Tribe and have been for the past 6 years. After the grueling high school practices these two kids head off to club practice for another couple of hours. Its no wonder why they are the elite not only of this town, but of the entire nation.

Wrestlers of the Year

City stars reach their goals

By Aaron Bracamontes / El Paso Times

Posted: 04/25/2010 12:57:22 AM MDT

EL PASO -- This past high school wrestling season was all about redemption for Eastwood High School's Andy Rico and Franklin's Alba Mendoza.

Both felt they could have had better 2008-09 seasons, and were out to prove it.

For the senior Mendoza it was a return to the state meet after missing out her junior year.

"Just knowing it was my last year, I wanted to make the most of it," she said. "I was so upset about how I did (last year) that I wanted to make up for it."

Meanwhile, Rico wanted to transform his state runner-up performance as a sophomore into a gold medal as a junior.

"I was just so excited when I won the gold, I can't even explain it to be honest," Rico said. "The weight just fell off my back."

Both wrestlers only lost two matches all season long, but perhaps those are the two that defined their seasons the most.

Rico and Mendoza are the El Paso Times 2010 All-City Wrestlers of the Year.

The move up from the 102 pound division to 110 didn't translate well for Mendoza her junior year. But that only made her hungrier for her senior year.

"I did not miss a practice, and if I did it was for a doctor's appointment," Mendoza said. "Every single practice, I never gave up and just kept working."

Franklin assistant coach Nick Mendez said her domination at the Frisco tournament showed that she was ready to return to the state tournament mat.

"I thought she was more dedicated this year than in the past," Mendez said. "During practice she didn't say much, but you could see it in her. She was determined to get what she wanted."

As a sophomore, Rico didn't have much to complain about, after winning a state silver medal as a 135 pounder. But he still wanted more, even with a move up to 145 pounds.

"Coming back from the state finals last year got me motivated for this year," Rico said. "I felt that I was where I was suppose to be (at 145). I felt stronger."

In practice, Rico was a force, Eastwood coach Roman Villa said, but it was in the heat of competition that he really came alive.

"He's a tremendous worker, in the wrestling room he goes all out," Villa said.

However, there was one small speed bump at the state duel meet. For the first time all year, he lost by decision -- twice.

"He's a stubborn competitor; he doesn't want to give up points," Villa said. "He is not happy unless he gets the pin."

But maybe that was a blessing in disguise, as he responded by pinning everyone he faced at the district, regional and state tournaments.

And he got his gold medal.

"When I lost those two matches, I realized that anyone can lose and I wasn't Superman," he said. "My goal wasn't to pin everyone, but instead to get points."

Mendoza remained undefeated all the way until the Region I finals, where she lost to Bushland's Shelby Morrison. They faced each other one more time in the state finals and the result was the same, but this time Mendoza was given vital information.

"She was third in the country, and I didn't know it until I lost at state," Mendoza said.

While Mendoza's high school career is over with, she is thankful that her father and sister convinced her to give the sport a shot five years ago.

Rico will look to take his skills a step farther next year.

"The positive is that I accomplished my goal, the downfall is I have high expectations for next year," Rico said. "Of course I want to win another state title but I also want to be an All-American."

Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6381.

Alba Mendoza

School, grade: Franklin, senior.

Weight class, record: 110, 41-2.

Notes: Was the runner-up at both the Region I tournament and state tournament; placed seventh at Nationals; an All-American.

Andy Rico

School, grade: Eastwood, junior.

Weight class, record: 145, 37-2.

Notes: State champion; Region I champion; District 3 champion; pinned all his opponents in all three championship tournaments.

NHSCA Nationals

Eastwood freshman takes 8th at nationals

By Paul MacKinnon \ Special to the Times

Posted: 03/31/2010 09:38:14 PM MDT

EL PASO -- For the city's top talents, the high school wrestling season concluded a good month ago. But, for those even fewer elite grapplers, exit time was just a weekend ago. And, now, it's time to train.

While it may still be too soon to label Eastwood 130-pounder Devin Vasquez as elite, the 5-foot-6-inch freshman certainly has the early results to back it up.

After improving on his runner-up status at the Region I meet with an impressive fourth-place finish at the Texas state meet, the soon-to-be 15-year-old saved his best for last. He attained All-American status with an eighth-place finish among freshmen at the National High School Coaches Association Tournament, which ran March 24-27 in Virginia Beach, Va.

"That was about a 10, (the) toughest tournament I've ever been to in my life," said Vasquez of his 20-wrestler, freshman bracket. "At first, I thought I was going to do pretty good. That's what I thought. They didn't wrestle like freshmen. They wrestled like seniors. Big wake-up call."

City wrestling tournament director Ron Dentinger, said, "(The NHSCA) is like a who's who, the equivalent of the Nike tournament for basketball. For (Vasquez) to place in the top eight in a major competition like that means he's probably already a Division I athlete for his age group."

Vasquez opened by pinning New Jersey's Zachary Alto in less than two minutes. But, New Mexico's Anthony Abeyta turned the tables on Vasquez, pinning the El Pasoan 1 minute, 2 seconds into the second round.

"That hadn't happened to me in my whole first year of high school," Vasquez said.

Eastwood coach Roman Villa added, "For both Devin and (Texas State 145-pound champion) Andy Rico, (the city's only other competitor at Nationals), that was the first time that either of them got pinned this year. And we had a long talk over dinner about how they would bounce back."

Vasquez bounced back quite well, dominating Maryland's Matt Capobianco (4-0), Ohio's Michael Snyder (pin, 3:42), and New York's Joe Mastro (7-1) before getting decisioned by Connecticut's Miguel Calixto, 3-2.

"I really have high expectations for Devin, he doesn't know how good he is; he's like a little kid, very humble," said Rico, who was among his division's final 24 wrestlers until the nation's second-ranked Joey Kielbassa of Illinois eliminated him, 4-3.

"It's been a great season for both (Vasquez and Rico), not a lot could've gone better," Villa said. "They've had some good wins, tough losses. I'm encouraging them both to take a week off."

But, Vasquez doesn't appear to be having any of that.

"I'm gonna train harder, because now, there are a lot of expectations," he said. "I think I can make it to the finals, at least, next year. I want to train hard, maybe win state."

And maybe take a crack at sophomore Nationals, where eighth will not be enough.

Andy Rico Wins State

State Finals Recap

State - Day 2

Eastwood's Andy Rico wins gold in state wrestling

By Lenny Jurado / El Paso Times

Posted: 02/27/2010 11:27:48 PM MST

Andy Rico shot through the wrestling state championships Friday and Saturday as you might imagine from a returning silver-medalist.

Four opponents, four pins.

The Eastwood High School junior pretty much had his way in crushing the 145-pound weight division at the Austin ISD Delco Center.

"This is awesome, really awesome," he said. "I've been wanting this since I was a freshman."

Rico was El Paso's lone gold-medalist, but three others also finished top three.

Franklin senior Alba Mendoza took silver at 110 pounds, while Irvin senior Byelka Soto and Americas junior Valerie Rosales were third at 148 and 165, respectively.

This was Mendoza's third trip to state and second silver medal, which she earned in 2008.

"I was hoping to place higher, but I'm proud of myself," Mendoza said.

El Paso was well-represented in the girls' ranks, as four others placed fifth and five were sixth.

Team-wise, Eastwood's boys placed ninth with 53 points. Freshman Devin Vasquez helped the Troopers' cause by taking fourth at 130 pounds.

Franklin's Gary Martinez (125 pounds) and Hanks' Ryan Martinez (130) joined the pair in the all-state ranks (top six) with fifth-place finishes.

For his bold performance, Rico was named Outstanding Boy Wrestler of the Meet. No wrestler lasted to the third period in four matches (3 minutes, 40 seconds; 0:45; 0:57; 2:54).

Coincidentally, Rico's championship match came against Flower Mound's Drake Dudley, whom he had beaten before.

"Coach (Roman Villa) had started me in the neutral position (in the second period), so I got the takedown and after that, I got the crossface and I just locked his leg and locked my arms (for a cradle) and held on for dear life."

When victory came, it came with powerful emotion.

"I wanted to cry," Rico said. "I was just so happy. I saw my dad (Luis), and he embraced me so hard. It got me teary-eyed."

Earlier in the day, Mendoza had herself quite the challenge.

Mendoza had outlasted Hanks' Jordanne Diaz, 5-0, in the semifinals, then drew defending state champion Shelby Morrison (Bushland), who also is ranked No. 3 in the nation.

Mendoza was pinned midway through the third period, but the loss did not mar her experience.

"It was tough these two days, but I was proud I got to the finals," she said.

Meanwhile, Soto took third by hanging on against Arlington Bowie's Tess Vaughn in triple overtime.

"I was hungry for it; I wanted it all," Soto said. "I didn't even get tired, even though we went to overtime."

This was Rosales' third trip to Austin but her first time making all-state. She pinned Skyline's Cassandra Stealy in 3:32 for bronze. "I'm overwhelmed. I'm just excited and shocked. It was a good day."

Lenny Jurado may be reached at ljurado@elpasotimes.com; 546-6167.

State - Day 1

Eastwood High School's Andy Rico, Devin Vasquez reach wrestling semifinals

By Lenny Jurado / El Paso Times

Posted: 02/26/2010 10:44:57 PM MST

EL PASO -- The state wrestling championships got under way Friday, and nine girls and two boys will represent El Paso in the semifinals today in Austin.

Eastwood junior 145-pounder Andy Rico, a state runner-up last year, pinned both of his first-day opponents, while freshman teammate Devin Vasquez won two decisions at 130 pounds.

"They're wrestling really well," said Troopers coach Roman Villa, whose team currently is in ninth place. "Physically, they look like they're in the best shape of the year."

Rico earned his first win in 3 minutes, 40 seconds and the second in 45 seconds. Vasquez's decisions were 11-6 and 11-1.

"I was just focused," Vasquez said. "I had the matches in my head, already knew what I was going to do, so I just went out there and wrestled."

In the girls' ranks, El Dorado and Hanks each have two girls in the semifinals: Aztecs Akira Peña (95 pounds; pin 1:16, decision, 6-4) and Sarah Gonzalez (138; medical forfeit, 8-2); Knights Jordanne Diaz (110; 7-6, 6-5) and Darlene Fernandez (119; 4:56, 10-8).

"We're going to have a really tough match for both our girls," El Dorado coach Freddy Flores said. "If they continue to stay focused like they have been, then they have a good shot of entering those finals."

Also advancing to semifinal action are Franklin's Alba Mendoza (110; 3:16, 8-2), who next will wrestle Diaz, Irvin's Byelka Soto (148; 1:54, 1:33), Jefferson's Yvonne Galindo (148; 2:32, default), Americas' Valerie Rosales (165; 1-0, 8-0) and El Paso High's Ann Marie Uribe (185; 14-3, 11-2).

"At first I was real nervous because I didn't know what kind of girls to expect," Soto said, "but once I got to the mat, the nerves went away, and I gave it my all."

El Dorado currently is in eighth place, Hanks in 10th.

The championship round for girls will begin at 3 p.m. today, followed by the boys at 6 p.m.

Lenny Jurado may be reached at ljurado@elpasotimes.com; 546-6167