KC senior earns fifth state qualification
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Kirtland Central senior Nathan Tom works on Moriarty wrestler Marques Romero in the 160-pound semifinal of the NMAA Region 1-4A Championships on Saturday at Kirtland Central High School.
KIRTLAND, N.M. – The upcoming New Mexico state wrestling tournament will be fifth trip for Kirtland Central senior Nathan Tom.
Tom is one of KC’s most veteran grappler as he is looking to improve on his fifth-place finish from last year’s state competition.
“I want to wrestle hard, wrestle my best and just compete,” Tom said. “I want to get back on the podium and it don’t matter what place I get. I’m just grateful to be there, to wrestle one more time.”
The state wrestling tournament is scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Rio Rancho Events Center as the New Mexico Activities Association will award the top six finishers with medals.
KC coach Mike Hathcock says Tom is a hard worker who deserves all the accolades he’s achieved.
“He’s always the first one in, and the last one to leave,” Hathcock said of Tom. “He’s there every day, and he works all the time. The kid deserves everything he received.
“He’s the only wrestler that I’ve had for my five years here at Kirtland Central,” he added. “He’s worked really hard, and he’s improved a ton.”
Tom enters the Class 4A state meet with a 39-7 record, having qualified with a runner-up finish during Saturday’s NMAA Region 1-4A Championships.
Tom is one of nine wrestlers to qualify for state as this year’s number matches the 2022 total from four years ago.
The other qualifiers include junior Ethan Billey at 114, freshman Tristan Silver (121), senior Jaime Cuevas (133), junior Bryce Sanders (145), sophomore Chance Aspaas (172), sophomore Memphis Thomas (189), sophomore Jakob Little (215) and sophomore Steven Little (285).
The Aztec Tigers will be sending a dozen wrestlers to state, which includes a bevy of regional champions.
The Tigers had seven grapplers make the championship bout at the region finals on Saturday with sophomore CJ Saiz (107), junior Ethan Vigil (121) and senior Cayden Nevarez (172) taking gold.
Meanwhile, junior Ian Vigil (114), senior Zach Sanders (152) and sophomores Cory Douglas (139) and Delano Black (152) took silver.
Aztec also received third-place efforts from sophomore James Moore (114), senior Clarence Keenom (185) and juniors Rylee Clinton (160) and Aiden Trujillo (189). Junior Juaquin Duran placed fourth at 133.
With those top finishes, Aztec topped defending 4A state champ Bloomfield for the region crown. The Tigers finished with 264.5 points while Bloomfield and West Las Vegas came in second and third with 240 and 218, respectively.
“We were just hoping to perform well,” Aztec coach Levi Stout said. “We just came to wrestle hard; we mixed it up to see what happens there at the end.”
Looking ahead, Stout says his team is looking for a top three finish at the 4A state meet.
“The competition is going to be excellent,” the Aztec coach. “Bloomfield is the top team in the state. West Las Vegas is right behind them, and I think we’re pushing to be right up there as well.”
Highway 264,
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