Wrestlers at State

When the New Mexico state wrestling tournament gets underway today, the Hobbs wrestling team will have 12 grapplers, in 14 weight classes, vying for the chance to win a state title. While some of the grapplers are new,

Hobbs is also taking plenty of experienced wrestlers with it.

“We have, basically, a very good feeling for the fact at things work,” Hobbs wrestling coach Thomas Rotunno said. “We didn’t get ourselves in bad situations. We got into a lot of close matches, but we won the close matches.”

Hobbs senior Caleb Beaird, a four-time state qualifier, is excited about how many grapplers the Eagles are taking to state.

“The program is growing,” Beaird said. “That is exciting for the future wrestlers coming up. There hasn’t been too many to state before this and this is exciting to see that the program is kind of hitting a growth spurt and people are getting into it.”

Six Eagles have wrestled at state in the past. Those with experience are Dylan Kuhn, Beaird, Dante Sparenburg, Loel Neal, Brennen May, and Richie Padilla. Of those six, five were at the state tournament last year. The only grappler of the group not to make it last year was Sparenburg.

Still, as well as the Eagles did at the district tournament and with the experience the Eagles have at the state tournament, Rotunno was guarded when asked about his expectations.

“Expectations are always tough,” Rotunno said. “It is the state meet, so everybody is good.

But, in general, I expect (Dylan)

Kuhn and Beaird to win it all.

Then, we have a couple of guys that, it depends what the seeding looks like, but thet have an excellent chance of medaling.”

Of the six with experience, Kuhn, Beaird, Sparenburg, and May all have multiple trips. For Kuhn and Beaird, this will be the duos fourth trip to state. For Leal, Sparenburg, and May, this is the trios third time at state. Then there is Padilla, who had his first trip to state last year.

“That does make a difference when you go to state with that (experience),” Rotunno said. “The format and the amount of people that are there, and how quickly things move, and a little bit with how intense it is. That (experience) definitely helps.”

While the Eagles have plenty of experience, only Kuhn and Beaird have finished the state tournament on the podium. Kuhn finished fifth in the 220-weight class last year and sixth at 195 pounds as a sophomore. Beaird placed fourth last year at 152 pounds.

“Kuhn did a lot during the summer, so he knows a lot more of those individuals,” Rotunno said. “Beaird, also. In both brackets, they know who they all are. (The opposition) are working to avoid (Kuhn and Beaird) right now.”

Of the first time grapplers heading to state, Presley Greenough and Jan-den Garcia are the youngest. Both are eight graders. Greenough worked his way through the field, beating other grapplers with higher seeds to win the 113-weight class.

“It was amazing. I never thought I could do it,” Greenough said of winning his district championship. “I thought I was going to go out there and get second or something.”

Now that he has won a district championship, Greenough has high expectations for his first time at state. He is not letting his youth hinder him.

“It’s amazing. I am ready to go. I think I can go up there and win state,” Greenough said. “I just have to go out there and wrestle my own match.

Then there is Logan Johnson, Matthew Sova, Zack Turner, and Michael Honigman. Johnson earned a spot at 126 pounds while Sova is in the 132-weight class. Honigmann will be wrestling at 195 pounds and Turner in the heavyweight division.

As for those Eagle grapplers who haven’t been to state before, Kuhn said several of them have asked the four-time state qualifier for early advice.

“They are asking what’s it like and how big is it,” Kuhn said. “I just tell them, the first year I went to state, I was overwhelmed at how big it was. I tell them not to let the numbers fool you and don’t let the big stage fool you. Juts wrestle like you are wrestling at a home meet.”

Kuhn heads into the state tournament as the No. 1 grappler in the 220-weight class. The Hobbs senior is undefeated this year, having won all 28 matches he wrestled in. “It is a lot of weight to carry,” Kuhn said of heading to state undefeated. “But, I feel pretty confident in brining home the undefeated.”

Kuhn has one goal on his mind heading into state, winning it all.

“I have got to bring my A game,” Kuhn said. “I don’t think there is anyone in the state that can beat me, as long as I wrestle my hardest and don’t mess up.”

Having medaled twice and been to the state tournament three previous times, Kuhn is ready for this year’s tournament. “This year I am a whole lot more confident going into state,” Kuhn said. “I am not injured and I know exactly what is expected of me. I know that I have been to state three times before and I know exactly what is going to be there. There are no surprises.”

As for Beaird, like Kuhn, he is undefeated. Beaird enters the state tourney with a 22-0 record. However, because there is another undefeated grappler, Volcano Vista’s Richard Govea, in the 170-weight class, one who has won a state championship at that, the top seed is not guaranteed for Beaird. Govea comes into the state tournament 17-0. Govea won the 160-weight class last year. Still, Beaird isn’t letting that affect him.

“I don’t think it is going to be too different,” Beaird said. “I think the top three are me, (Damin Valenzuela of) Manzano, and (Govea) Volcano Vista. So, it is going to be a while until I have a real tough match. … We are going to be opposite of the bracket either way, so I will just have to wrestle through and see how it goes.”

With the success that Beaird has had this season, he said things are a little different heading into the state tourney.

“In the past, I have always been the unknown, the underdog, whatever,” Beaird said. “But this year, I am going in there with kind of a target on my back.” Another thing new for Beaird is the weight class. As a freshman, Beaird wrestled at 145 pounds. In the state tournament as a freshman, he won his first round match, but lost the next two. As a sophomore and a junior, Beaird wrestled at 152 pounds. This year, he will be wrestling at 170 pounds.

“I have always been a lot stronger than everybody,” Beaird said. “It is not that much different from 152. I am still kind of the same ration in size and speed and they are kind of the same.”

Each grappler will is guaranteed a minimum of two matches. Any grappler that loses twice, is eliminated from the tournament. The state tournament opens today in Albuquerque. The champions of each weight class will be crowned tomorrow.