EPHRATA — Seven Tigers are heading to Tacoma for the Mat Classic this week, with Ephrata qualifying four girls wrestlers and three boys wrestlers for their respective tournaments. 

“Friday night we had a little speech and went through this visualization session that I tend to do, and I think that gave them some boost of confidence,” Ephrata girls wrestling coach Raul Tejeda said. “They went out there, they wrestled hard and they did well.”

Ephrata finished in second place in Saturday’s Girls 2A/1A/B Region 4 tournament in Quincy, nine points before first-place Omak. All four Tiger wrestlers who qualified for the state tournament were champions of their weight classes at regionals; senior Leslie Sanchez Guerrero (140), senior Kadie McMullen (145), sophomore Adylene Sanchez (155) and sophomore Molly McMullen (190).

“They’ve been putting in the work and been doing well at practice, focusing and trying to stay on task,” Tejeda said. “They’re peaking at the right time.”

Sanchez Guerrero, Kadie McMullen and Sanchez all qualified for the 2023 Mat Classic, with Sanchez Guerrero placing sixth in the 135-pound bracket and McMullen placing fourth in th 140-pound bracket,

“To be back there for their senior year, they want another shot to get that title,” Tejeda said. “It’s really cool.”

Tejeda said finding success at the state tournament comes down to confidence.

“Just keep doing what we’re doing; keep practicing, keep instilling that confidence that they can make it and deserve to be on the podium,” Tejeda said. 

For the boys, Tiger seniors Zander Boyd (113), Alex Guitterez (120) and Jorge Rodriguez all earned top-four placings at Saturday’s 2A Region 4 tournament in Ellensburg, qualifying for the 2A Mat Classic.

“Any time you qualify for state it’s a super exciting deal,” Knox said. “I think the kids were really pleased. All three of those guys, they’re definitely leaders on the team; they’re all leaders, they show up for practice every day.”

Boyd is now a three-time state participant for the Tigers.

“He’s really shooting to get a medal this year, I’m sure that’s his No. 1 priority,” Knox said. 

Guitterez was the runner-up in the 120-pound bracket at both districts and regionals, falling short to Prosser’s Julian Torres.

“Hopefully we’ll have another shot at it at state, but we’ll see,” Knox said. “Alex has really turned a corner this year; his work ethic is second to none, and everything he’s earned he deserves.”

Each of the wrestlers being close to one another’s weight class has been helpful Knox said, allowing them to practice with one another.

“All those guys are around the same weight, so having Zander (Boyd), Alex (Guitterez) and Jorge (Rodriguez) all together, they can be able to train and workout in live wrestling groups, that’s invaluable,” Knox said. 

With a young team this year, Knox said it’s important for Ephrata’s underclassmen to see three of the team’s seniors reach the state tournament.

“It makes it tangible in that it’s an attainable goal, that you can get to state,” Knox said. “Hopefully some of these kids will earn some medals, and that’s even that much better so the younger guys see the older guys going through the program and the results are that they end up earning medals.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

    Ephrata senior Kadie McMullen, right, wrestles at a Jan. 27 tournament in Quincy. McMullen took fourth in the 2A/1A/B Girls 140-pound class at the 2023 Mat Classic.
  

    Ephrata senior Jorge Rodriguez took fourth at Saturday’s 2A Region 4 tournament in Ellensburg, qualifying for the 2A Mat Classic.
  

    Ephrata senior Leslie Sanchez Guerrero, top, took sixth in the 2A/1A/B Girls 135-pound class at last year’s state tournament.