EPHRATA — After a strong season that saw five wrestlers compete in the Mat Classic, Ephrata Tigers Head Coach Joe Knox said the future is bright for the program.   

“All the guys really wrestled hard, and I think they all did a heck of a job,” Knox said. “Going into the season, we had to really temper our expectations, but I will say the guys really showed a lot of resilience, really worked their butts off. I would say the trajectory of the program is definitely going in the right direction.”  

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. Part of what pushed them into the top 25 was top-seven finishes by Staples and Woods. Knox said he felt all of the state wrestlers left everything they had on the mat.   

“I was really pleased with the effort across the board from all the guys on the team that showed up. Everybody at least won a match there, so that was good. They all helped out the team,” he said.   

Staples – a freshman for the Tigers – placed fifth in the 165-lb weight class. In his placement match, he was slated to battle Hunter Nicholson from East Valley (Spokane). The majority of the match was controlled by Staples as he scored an escape and takedown late in the second period.   

After a near fall by Nicholson in the third period, Staples dominated the rest of the match with an escape, takedown and near fall to give him a 12-7 lead by the end of the match and the win.   

After a strong showing in his first Mat Classic, Knox sees a bright future for Staples. He noted his leadership qualities and all-business work ethic as key elements of what got him to Tacoma this season.   

“He is definitely a leader... the younger guys really look up to him, and he's got a really good work ethic. When he's in the room, he's all business. He's always working his butt off,” the coach said.   

Woods met the Quincy Jacks’ Alejandro Barajas in the fifth-place match of the 215-lb bracket. Barajas controlled most of the match, scoring a reversal in the second period and a takedown in the third to give himself a 5-0 lead over Woods, securing him the win.  

Despite the loss, Woods placed sixth to reach the podium by the end of the tournament. Knox pointed out the work ethic he brought to the team and emphasized his willingness to do the extra work in the offseason.   

“I tell the guys all the time, ‘It really makes a difference,’ but sometimes I wonder if they believe me,” Knox said. “If there's any legacy that Peyton leaves behind is, ‘Hey, do the work, and you'll have an opportunity for good things to happen to you as well.’”  

As he reflected on the season, the coach said he is excited about where the program is heading, going forward. There’s plenty of work to be done, but he is confident that 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 the guys see that. I know they've talked about it, so building that confidence and those guys just understanding that we're on our way. We just got to keep grinding,” he said.  

    The Ephrata Head Coach Joe Knox, in black, calls out to Colt Staples during his match in the Mat Classic. Knox said the program is on a good trajectory after this season.
  

    Colt Staples, in black and orange, goes for a takedown during his match in the Mat Classic. Staples placed fifth in the 165-lb weight class.
  

    The Tigers’ Peyton Woods, right, wrestles Alejandro Barajas from Quincy in a prior match this season. The two met again in the fifth-place match in the Mat Classic.