Feb. 27—Ephrata — After a strong season with five wrestlers competing in the Mat Classic, Ephrata Tigers head coach Joe Knox said the future is bright for the program.
“All the guys wrestled really hard and I thought they all did a great job,” Knox said. “Going into this season, we have to really adjust our expectations, but I would say these guys have really shown a lot of resilience and really tried their best. I would say the trajectory of the program is definitely in the right direction.”
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Representing the Tigers in Tacoma were Adrian Negrete, Carter Garcia, Colt Staples, Louden Leenhouts and Peyton Woods. As a team, they finished 21st with a team score of 47 points. Staples and Woods’ top-seven finishes pushed them into the top 25. Knox said he felt like all the state wrestlers left everything they had on the mat.
“I’m really pleased with the all-round effort from all the players in the team. Everyone won at least one game, so that’s good. They all helped the team,” he said.
Staples, a freshman for the Tigers, is ranked fifth in the 165-pound weight class. In the placement round, he will face Hunter Nicholson of East Valley (Spokane). Staples controlled much of the match, and he managed an escape and a takedown late in the second period.
After Nicholson nearly fell in the third period, Staples dominated the rest of the match with an escape, a takedown and a near fall to take a 12-7 lead and win.
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After a strong performance in the first Mat Classic, Knox sees a bright future for Staples. He cited his leadership skills and all-business work ethic as key factors in his arrival in Tacoma this season.
“He’s definitely a leader…young guys really look up to him, and he has a really good work ethic. When he’s in the room, he’s everything. He always gives it his all,” the coach said.
Woods met Quincy Jack’s Alejandro Barajas in the fifth-place match in the 215-pound weight class. Barajas controlled much of the match, coming back in the second period and scoring a takedown in the third to take a 5-0 lead over Woods and secure the victory.
Despite the loss, Woods finished on the podium at the end of the event in sixth place. Knox noted the work ethic he brings to the team and emphasized his willingness to put in extra work in the offseason.
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“I always tell these guys, ‘This is really important,’ but sometimes I wonder if they believe me,” Knox said. “If there’s one legacy that Payton left behind, it’s ‘Hey, do your job and you’ll have a chance for good things to happen to you.'”
As he looks back on the season, the coach said he’s excited about the direction and future of the program. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but he believes Ephrata is closing the gap.
“Do we still have a lot of work to do? The answer is yes, but we’re definitely closing the gap and I hope these guys see that. I know they’ve talked about it, so building confidence and letting those guys understand we’re on the way. We’ve got to keep working hard,” he said.
