EPHRATA – As the Ephrata girls wrestling team gears up for the 2024-25 season, head coach Raul Tejeda is optimistic about the prospects of a predominantly young team. He said they had six girls graduate last year.  

“It’s looking well,” Tejeda said. “We have a lot of new athletes coming in, so we kind of have a young team, but overall, it’s looking good.” 

The roster comprises mostly freshmen and sophomores, with a few returning juniors and a couple of seniors who are new to the program. This influx of new talent presents both challenges and opportunities as these wrestlers adapt to the demands of high school competition, Tejeda explained.  

“Some of them have wrestled in middle school, so it seems like everybody's coming together, and we’re picking it up pretty quickly,” Tejeda explained.  

One of the main focuses for this season is to gain valuable mat time. Tejeda emphasized the importance of development over immediate outcomes.  

“Just mostly get some mat time,” Tejeda said. “I just really want to see how we grow from day one to the end of the season.”  

He said that ensuring that these young wrestlers have the opportunity to compete will set a solid foundation for future years. 

The team can count on some key returning athletes to lead the charge. Among them are Adylene Sanchez and Molly McMullen, both of whom competed at state last year. Another one Tejeda said looks promising is Alexa Gonzalez, a promising competitor who has shown great potential.  

“We’ve got a few girls that are going to probably make some noise,” said Tejeda. 

Team chemistry, an essential component for success, appears to be thriving.  

"We haven’t really had any issues," Tejeda said.  

The leadership gap left by graduated seniors has been filled by the older returning wrestlers who have stepped up to guide their younger teammates. Ephrata had two state placers graduate off of last year’s roster; Leslie Sanchez and Kadie McMullen, who took second and fourth in their respective weight classes. 

Looking ahead, the Ephrata girls wrestling team is anxious to measure their progress, particularly against rival teams.  

 “Last year, we kind of came short a little bit from our league title against Othello. It’d be kind of nice to see where we stack up now,” Tejeda said. 

The Tigers did go on to win the 2A/1A/2B/1B District 6 title, besting Omak by nearly 30 points at the district tournament. 

The Ephrata wrestling teams will be having a pancake breakfast at the Ephrata Pita Pit on Feb. 8 to raise funds for the teams and Tejeda encourages the community to attend and rally support around the teams.  

As the wrestlers prepare themselves physically and mentally for the season, Tejeda said the focus will be on building strength, increasing conditioning and fostering a spirit of aggressiveness.  

“I’d like to get a little more conditioned; that’s kind of a big factor,” Tejeda said. 

    Ephrata’s Leslie Sanchez Guerrero, right, went to the state tournament last year; however, she was one of the six girls that graduated last year. Head Coach Raul Tejeda said he has a young team this year with predominantly underclassmen or upperclassmen competing for the first times.
  

    Ephrata’s Adylene Sanchez, middle, wins a match at the 2024 Mat Classic in Tacoma. Sanchez is one of two Tigers returning with state experience this season.