Cleveland, Rio Grande share state title

Storm coach has Ravens coach take trophy to his ill son

RIO RANCHO – If you’re scoring, that’s one state championship for Cleveland, and – for the first time in 25 years – one state championship for Rio Grande.

The Class 5A state wrestling tournament produced co-champions this year, as the Storm and Ravens shared the wealth on an emotional, riveting – and yes, mildly controversial – Saturday night at the Santa Ana Star Center.

But as everyone shuffled out of the place, only one team was toting a blue trophy under its arm: Rio Grande.

Cleveland coach Corey Anderson hugged Rio Grande coach Loren Vigil after the last match, and what Anderson whispered in his ear brought Vigil to tears.

“I told him to take the trophy,” Anderson said. “He needed to go home and give it to his son and tell him that they won a state championship for him.”

Anderson was referring to Rio Grande freshman Pepper Vigil, Loren’s son, who is battling ALL – acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“It meant a lot,” Vigil said, his eyes still moist moments later.

The Ravens last won a state title in 1988. Cleveland was the defending champion.

Both finished with 196 points. The Storm will get a blue trophy of its own in a few days.

Rio Grande’s only champion was senior Nick Chavez at 195 pounds, as he completed an undefeated season with a pin of Atrisco Heritage’s James Romero. Chavez almost missed the tournament after being suspended Thursday, when he was charged with stealing money from a fellow wrestler and striking him across the face at school.

His family fought the suspension, and a court forced the New Mexico Activities Association to include Chavez in the field Friday morning.

Chavez was met with a smattering of boos when he was introduced, and then again after he won his match.

Asked whether he would grant an interview, Chavez told the Journal: “No.”

Chavez’s victory put Rio Grande ahead in the team standings 196-192.

Cleveland’s Clayton Pankey, a transfer from Bernalillo, followed in the next match at 220. He nearly pinned Valley’s Seth Mello, but eventually won a 9-6 decision to create a team tie.

“I didn’t know how far that shoulder was off the mat, but I wanted (the pin) bad,” Pankey said.

Rio Grande heavyweight Adrian Aranda had a chance to give the Ravens an outright title, but he was pinned by Atrisco’s Ismael Chavez. Chavez said he was aware of the team standings and what a win might have meant for Aranda and Rio Grande.

“But at the end,” he said, “I was just going for the win. I was just glad I could help Cleveland a little bit.”

The tournament was one of the most compelling in years.

There were a handful of multiple individual champions, led by four-timer Paul Mascareñas of Cleveland, who offered up the most interesting quote of the night after a 16-3 major decision of Eldorado’s Logan Gonzales at 113.

“I don’t feel like a four-time champ, actually,” he said. “I don’t feel anything right now. It’s weird.”

Volcano Vista’s Lawrence Otero (138) and West Mesa’s DeShun Brown (126) won their third titles. Albuquerque High’s D’Yon Santiago (145 pounds), like Rio Grande’s Chavez, won his second. Two other champions – Atrisco’s Chavez and Cleveland’s Pankey – won state titles as 4A athletes a year ago.

Third-place Rio Rancho had three champions in Orlando Gutierrez at 132, Miguel Barreras at 152 and Jordan Lara at 160. Cleveland also had a third winner in 170-pounder Arturo Vigil.

Atrisco Heritage’s Nate Goode took the wildly competitive 182-pound bracket, edging Manzano’s Chris Collins 4-3 with a two-point takedown with 18 seconds left.

The other two champions were Volcano Vista’s Cameron Huizar at 120, and Las Cruces’ Dylan Udero at 106. Eleven of 14 No. 1 seeds won state.
— This article appeared on page D1 of the Albuquerque Journal