Moving on to state

Ray Rodriguez | Argus Observer Ontario head wrestling coach Charlie Anthony instructs seniors Derek Galligar (top) and Casey Erlebach during practice Monday at Ontario High School. The Tigers are sending 13 wrestlers to state.

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These three Ontario High School freshman are just a few new names headed out west to claim 4A state wrestling supremacy starting Thursday at the State Fairgrounds Pavilion in Salem.

Head coach Charlie Anthony is packing his bags along with 13 grapplers, 11 of whom have never made a state appearance. The 13 qualifiers make up the largest squad Anthony has ever sent to state.

The milestones don’t stop there for Anthony, who earlier this year eclipsed the 300-win plateau, won his first district title in four years and, for the first time in school history, will send six freshmen out to state.

“Like most Ontario teams this year, we have a pretty young crew,” Anthony said. “They get better and better. We have been watching them get better and watching them get more consistent as the year has gone on.”

Juvenal Carrillo (103), Andrew Burnett (103), Nico Martinez (112), Frank Lopez (145), Michelangelo Ortiz (215), Anthony Rangel (189), Casey Erlebach (152) and Derek Galligar (140) make up the rest of the first-timers.

“I’m a little anxious and excited,” Galligar, a senior, said. “I’m just ready for it. I need to prepare for matches better by getting warmed up. Got to get mentally prepared, and I need to start working on my feet.”

Galligar said there is a little more pressure to perform in his final high school matches.

“Of course there is a little pressure,” he said. “Every senior you talk to they say they want their senior year back. They wish they could have gone a little harder. So it starts to put a little pressure on your side. It’s alright, I’m ready for it though, I think.”

Erlebach, the team’s second senior headed to state and a four-year lettermen, said he is happy to get to this point, but wants to break through.

“I’m just excited just to have it done,” Erlebach said. “It’s been my biggest goal ever since I started as a freshman. I just need to concentrate on working hard, driving and finishing my shots. Other than that I need to stay on my feet.”

There are two wrestlers that boast the most experience in state competition — 2007 district champion Tom Martinez (125) and Andres Hernandez (135).

Martinez, a junior, is making his third-straight appearance and is looking to improve on his state-qualifier status.

“I have performed better this year than I have my other two years,” Martinez said. “This year has been my best year. I have been conditioned more and I have been able to do my moves better by practicing more.”

Hernandez, also a junior, is on the warpath, looking to give the Tiger squad its first individual state championship since 2003.

A season ago, Burns HighSchool won its fifth-straight state championship with 192.5 points, while Illinois Valley (163.5) and Estacada (156) rounded out the top three.

Now Burns is competing in a different division, but things still won’t be easy for Ontario.

The Tigers will have a tough road ahead, as they will contend with Cottage Grove, Estacada and Sweet Home, all fielding plenty of firepower in Salem.

“They don’t seem to care who they wrestle or where they wrestle,” Anthony said of his wrestlers. “We promote that all year. We wrestled at the Crane tournament. We wrestled at Pasco, and we wrestled at the Idaho Center. We really stress to these kids over and over again, that it doesn’t matter where you are at, the mat is the same size, so just go out there and wrestle.”

Sweet Home, out of the 4A Val-Co League will have 21 competitors ready to hit the mat in every weight class except heavyweight. Last year, Sweet Home finished in sixth with 102 points.

Cottage Grove, which finished in 12th place with 76.5 points, will send 15 competitors.

Estacada, which finished in third last year with 156 points, sends 12 wrestlers. Greater Oregon League schools La Grande and Baker will send 11 and eight wrestlers, respectively.