Richard Smith West Valley Preps

One surefire way to announce your arrival as a state title contender is to defeat a two-time former champion.

That is how Willow Canyon senior Daniel Rivera, a wrestler who has not placed at a state tournament, announced his arrival to the rest of the Division II field at the Mile High Classic in Prescott Valley Dec. 29-30.

Wrestling at 160 pounds, Rivera stunned senior James Deitz, the defending state 152-pound champion from Liberty, with a 9-8 semifinal victory. He lost to Phoenix Horizon’s Scott Kellenberger, a Division I wrestler, in the final, but Rivera’s performance convinced him to stay at 160 instead of taking an easier path at 152.

"Before going into that tournament our 152 and me were supposed to cut down to the next weight class below to get an extra boost," Rivera said. "When I beat him, I said ‘If I can beat him, who else can I beat?’ I figured I might as well stay at this weight class and try to take state."

Rivera has come a long way from his sophomore season. Recovering from an offseason injury, Rivera had a 4-16 record.

Yet he started the sport with signs of potential. His older cousins, Brandon and Johnny Cordova, were top wrestlers for Peoria High School early in the decade. Johnny was the 189-pound 4A state champion in 2009, while Brandon was the Division II 152-pound runner up in 2012

"I wanted to follow in their footsteps at one point. That kind of gave me the thought of doing wrestling," Rivera said. "Then in my freshman year, my buddy Jordan Band and Trenton Applebee — who’s our 113 — talked me into coming out for wrestling."

Current Willow Canyon head coach Shane Tamez was on the staff his freshman year and Rivera and several others stood out.

From his first tournament on, Rivera said he was surprise with his success.

"I was beating kids I didn’t expect to beat. I walked on the mat and was nervous, obviously. And when I wrestled them and I remembered what my coaches taught me," Rivera said. "But I didn’t get fully confident until the summer before my junior year. My coach, Mario (Reyes) had me come out to club practices over at Monsoon wrestling club and took me to a bunch of offseason tournaments."

Rivera wrestled at 145 as a freshman but has been at 160 ever since.

While the results did not come until his junior year, Tamez said the first two seasons were crucial for development.

"Those mentors also were very positive in showing him what can happen as you grow and get better," Tamez said.

After playing football as a freshman, Rivera stopped and decided to concentrate on the rare combo of wrestling and cheerleading.

As Tamez said, though, professional athletes will take ballet and other dance courses.

"He’s a very skilled multi-sport athlete. At the end of his junior year, he saw that he could be a top-notch wrestler," Tamez said. "(Cheer) does help out. They’re focused on doing flips and moving their feet quickly. It’s good to be a multi-sport athlete. All those other sports help footwork, hip movement and agility."

Healthy last season, Rivera finished 42-16 and earned a section championship as a junior.

But he had to pay some more dues along the way. He did not place at state, losing in the second round.

"I learned If I wanted to place at state or take it, I’d have to work just as hard or twice as hard as I did before," Rivera said.

This summer, he went to wrestling camp and met several of former state champions.

He entered his senior year with the goal of placing at every tournament he entered.

Until the state finals in February, his toughest obstacles to reaching that goal probably were at the Mile High meet in the same venue.

Rivera had to pull an upset just to get a match with Deitz.

"At that tournament I wasn’t seeded. And I had to beat the No. 4 seed just to get there," Rivera said. "Then, I just had to get in my mindset that if I wanted to make it to the finals I’d have to beat him. But my coach Mario and coach Tamez said that’s just a title, and if you want it, you’ve worked your but off to get what you want. And I thought, everyone’s beatable. I can beat him but first I have to win the match with myself. It’s manily in your head."

Tamez echoed the last statement, saying Rivera prepared for the best by facing tough opponents from Peoria and Wickenburg.

The coach believes this is Rivera’s year, perhaps to supass 2016 state placer Brandon Vela and 2017 state placer Ian Larkin

"They both have their names up top on our ceiling. That’s what they leave for practicing hard from their freshman to senior year. It says, "You can do it (at Willow Canyon). It’s just about believing in yourself," Tamez said.

Fresh off his big win, Rivera said his goals are bigger.

"Willow Canyon, there’s only been two former state placers here. I want to be the first state champion. For me to win that title, it would be great. I would be able to open up more doors for our team as a whole and get looked at more. Right now, we’re probably one of the least looked out teams on this campus. Nobody wants to go out for it."

He has received interest from colleges and said he will let his state results help guide him on whether to continue. Rivera said he would like to major in sciences and be on track to become an orthodontist.

Tamez said in any case, Rivera has worked to set himself up for success.

"He’s a model of what a wrestler should be. His grades are fantastic. He’s focused at helping our future wrestlers and recruiting them on campus, getting freshman and sophomores to love the sport like he does," Tamez said.