Montesano’s junior high wrestlers have won a total of 186 times this season versus just 69 losses. Even more impressively, 163 of their 186 wins have been by pin.
The Bullpups win percentage of 73% and pin percentage of 88% are remarkable, especially considering that there are only four members of the team who have wrestled for more than 2 years. More than half of the boys on the team are first year wrestlers.
“They are a talented bunch, and they have been fun to coach,” coach Darrel White said.
The wrestling team’s goal this season was to win 200 matches and pin 165 opponents.
White credits the team’s success to their natural ability and to the bevy of assistant coaches and volunteers who have been working with them this season. Coaches Eric Pyhala, Jacci Ryker and student volunteer Joel Pine have all contributed greatly, as have other volunteers, including Jesse Cervantes, Pat Pace and Nathan Ryker, White said.
Last week, in a meet at Aberdeen High School with Miller, Centralia and North Beach schools, the Monte boys put themselves solidly in position to meet or exceed each of their goals. Eight Bullpups racked up two victories apiece and, in all, ten members of the team were undefeated.
Enrique Mendoza remains the only wrestler on the Monte team with an undefeated record but there are three others — seventh grader Thomas Flink and eighth graders William Busche and Gabe Bodwell — who have one loss each.
Of the 19 wrestlers on the Bullpups team, 16 have won more matches than they have lost.
Wrestlers of the week
This week’s Wrestlers of the Week are seventh grader Jovanni Guarisco and eighth graders Busche and Frankie Baltazar.
Juarisco, a first year grappler, is the smallest member of the team weighing in at 86 pounds but the diminutive seventh grader is a fan favorite and always battles to the end of each match.
“Jovanni is a scrappy kid and he has a great future in wrestling,” White said. “He wrestled two tough opponents at Aberdeen and both were far more experienced than he is. He gave a good account of himself.”
Busche also is a first year wrestler, but he has shown a high level of natural ability and toughness and has just a single loss this season. In his matches this past week Busche scored two first-round pins and he now has 12, trailing team pin leaders Bodwell and Mendoza by a single pin.
Balthazar has compiled a record of 9 wins and 5 losses. He is a second year grappler and has scored 8 pins this season, including two first-round pins this past week.
Monte’s Junior High wrestling team wrapped up its season with a Tuesday meet in Tumwater. That meet ended too late for this edition. In addition to Montesano and Tumwater, teams from Bush, Raymond and Olympia area middle schools took part.
