The Rattler Wrestling Team travelled to Rio Grande City this past weekend to compete at the Snakebite Invitational and turned in a historic performance. The boys’ team finished as runners up in a very close battle with matches going into the championship round determining the outcome. They came away with five individual champions. The girls’ team dominated the tournament, with five individual champions of their own. They landed six girls in the championship bouts, with a hard-fought second-place finish as the only loss.
The boys team was paced by the seniors, a group that has left its mark as the first crop of four-year starters in the program’s six-year history. Mason Moreno (138 pounds), Adam Gonzales (170 pounds) and Christopher Soliz II (184 pounds) all went undefeated to capture individual championships. Each secured their win in the finals by first-period pin, an even more remarkable feat. Juniors Julian Moreno (160 pounds) and Matt Banda (113 pounds) both ran the table, winning their championship matches by pin as well. Dane Calvino, Christian Garcia and Zach Tolley each brought home third-place medals with Eric Alvarez (fourth place) rounding out the placers. Adding to the points total for the boys’ team were Korbin Pearson and Armando Jimenez with a solid showing.
For the ladies, senior captain Caitlin Hagerty pinned her way to a championship, needing only 28 seconds to finish her last opponent. Junior captain Gianna Moreno continued her undefeated ways, winning her fifth tournament championship of the season. Moreno is now 20-0 with more than half of the season remaining. Sophomore Esperanza Duran continued to impress as a second-year wrestler with the first tournament championship of her young career. She rang up three finishes by pin, including her finals match, a first-period pin. Freshman Jesyka Banda joined Duran as a first-time champion with her finals pin against a top-10 opponent. Kaylynn Martin made her second appearance in a finals bout, losing a tough match against an undefeated senior to place second. Alexa Hernandez went 3-1, winning the third-place match by pin in the second period. Julissa Samaniego made it to the third round of the consolation bracket, bowing out just before the placement rounds.
Next up, the Rattlers travel to the Delco Center in Austin for the Centex Tourney, one of the largest of the season.
