Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

By sticking through four years of wrestling, nine seniors have come to define Willow Canyon wrestling.

Now Brandon Cook, Tanner Jenson, Matt McClure, Phoenix Pough, Riley Reid, Turner-Elsbury and their classmates are leading one of the program’s most successful seasons.

“When I first started, my numbers were really, really low. With this core group that I’ve had, they’ve pretty much been the advertisement for wrestling here — showing highlights on the computer at future freshman night, advocating for our program in our freshman and JV group,” Willow Canyon coach Shane Tamez said. “The numbers say a lot. Parents and athletes buy into it.”

Cook said the team had a lot of grinders in freshman year, and one, Brandon Vela, served as his template.

Now the younger wrestlers look up to them.

“We have a lot of times where you’ll see a lot of kids reach their breaking point in practice and in matches, but you’ll see them kick the jets in because they want to win or make it,” Cook said.

Pough moved to the West Valley from Las Vegas. He started at Verrado High School before transferring to Willow Canyon.

Within weeks he realized this was the right fit.

“It was almost instant, especially with coach Mario (Reyes). The atmosphere was great, everyone was working hard and having fun,” Poe said.

Tamez in his eighth year as Willow Canyon wrestling coach and has taught at the school for four years.

Reyes and J.P. Salazar lead a young staff that Tamez said is working well with the kids.

“I don’t know where I’d be without this team, honestly. I could go to practice with these guys for three more years and I’d love it still,” Cook said.

The examples have translated to results on the mat this season.

Willow Canyon has eight wrestlers with 20 or more wins this year — Cook, junior Tristan Danis, Jenson, McClure, Pough, Reid, sophomore Austin Rivera and Turner-Elsbury.

“They’re having a very successful season as seniors,” Tamez said. “They’re the core group and guiding our younger generation — showing them how to practice, and character and sportsmanship.”

More than regular dual meets, the proof is in the team’s tournament performances, starting with the Perry Duals Dec. 8.

While the team did not go undefeated, Willow Canyon wrestling knocked off Phoenix Brophy Prep, Phoenix Shadow Mountain, Desert Edge and Millennium.

“That is a tough tournament. Normally we bring three or four boys on the second day, but this year everyone stuck it out and wrestled hard. We got to see a lot of Division I wrestlers,” Tamez said.

Next up was the Mile High Challenge Dec. 30 in Prescott Valley. The Wildcats finished 14th in the 31-team field and it was a memorable day for Pough, who finished third at 152 pounds.

“My sophomore and junior year I did not place but this year I got up to third place. It was definitely a huge highlight for what I want to do this season,” Pough said.

Perhaps the high point was at Dysart High School Jan. 11-12. Even with three weight classes missing, Willow Canyon still won the Demon Classic.

The team has taken home trophies before, but not the big one.

“This was the first team championship overall,” Cook said.

Cook and Pough followed up on Jan. 19 with first-place finishes in the Ironwood Invitational.

Now the main goal is to win sectionals on Saturday, Feb. 2 at Agua Fria High School in Avondale.

“We want to leave our mark on the mat. There’s nothing left to lose,” Poe said.

Then it will be time for the seniors’ last trip to state. The Division II tournament will be Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9 at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.

“Over half the team is seniors and we’re a pretty tight-knit group,” Cook said. “We wanted to make the program better, and kind of wanted to make a name for itself.”

To their coach, the class of 2019 already has.

He said these seniors succeeded beyond their wrestling wins, blazing a new trail for younger wrestlers at the school and standing on in the classroom.

“Of my years at Willow Canyon, this senior group would be the highlight. To have that many boys stick it out all four years through ups and downs. It shows they’re determined, not just in practice but in school as well,” Tamez said.

Willow Canyon wrestling sophomore Bryson Plueger, right, grabs the leg of Valley Vista junior Matthew Christensen during a 195-pound class match at the Dysart district wrestling meet Jan. 17 at Shadow Ridge High School in Surprise. [Courtesy Ryan McGinley/Dysart Unified School District][/caption]