An ‘irreplaceable’ kid: Transfer from Page impresses wrestling coach, teachers

WINDOW ROCK

His first day in the wrestling room didn’t go as planned for Mountain View senior Kimball Begay.

The Diné native had transferred to the Division I school in Mesa, Arizona, from Page before the start of the school year.

And as the previous 195-pound state champion at the Division IV level, his new coach told Begay that he had secured that slot.

“I was a state champion but on that first day I lost to everyone in the wrestling room,” Begay said. “It didn’t feel right to lose like that. That experience was pretty insane.”

Needless to say, Begay was coming off an extended stay with the football team as the Toros upset the second-seed Brophy College Prep in the opening round of the playoffs.

“You could see he was pretty miserable but a lot of that has to do with being in wrestling shape, just getting your lungs underneath you,” Mountain View wrestling coach Corey Anderson said. “We were two weeks into the season but Kimball was still playing on the football team because of the playoffs, so getting through those couple of days was hard on him but I knew he was going to be good.”

With Begay going 53-3 overall this past season, which includes a runner-up finish at state two weeks ago, the Mountain View coach said he inherited a prized transfer.

“Looking at his accolades, we were excited about him coming down,” Anderson said. “We were excited about the points he was going to bring to the team and we were excited about having him as a workout partner.”

After that initial rough go, Begay notched first-place wins at the Peoria and at the Brad Jones Pack invitationals.

“I led my team all season,” the Diné wrestler said. “I placed highest at every tournament, even at that big tournament in California. I got fourth there, which was the highest for my team.”

At that California meet, Begay lost two of his matches as he came up short to a pair of elite wrestlers during the Mann Classic in Huntington Beach.

“They were pretty good wrestlers,” said Begay, while adding that one of those wrestlers is headed to Northeastern University next season on a wrestling scholarship.

“I feel like I learned a lot from them,” he said.

The fourth-year coach said both of those out-of-state wrestlers had impeccable credentials.

“Kimball got a chance to compete against guys that have been nationally ranked,” the Mountain View coach said.

Following that tournament, Begay went on a roll and beat every opponent he faced heading into the Arizona Division I state wrestling tournament and earned the tournament’s top seed.

With three wins, the Mountain View senior reached the 195 title bout against Cibola’s Liam Hoffmeyer, who entered that match with a 31-3 record.

According to his coach, Begay had an early advantage but as the match wore on Hoffmeyer pulled off an upset by a 7-4 decision.

“Tactically he didn’t wrestle his best match,” Anderson said.

“I just didn’t wrestle very smart,” Begay said, while adding that he gave up a lot of back points to his opponent.

“Obviously I wanted to win state again but I know there are bigger and better things after wrestling,” he added. “I’m really thankful that I was able to have the career I had. I felt like I really went far.”

Looking back, Anderson said his pupil had a phenomenal year despite coming up short in the state title bout.

“He wrestled a big strong opponent and it just wasn’t his match,” his coach said.

Anderson said Begay was devastated after losing that match and as he came off the mat his pupil put his head on his shoulder and apologized for losing.

“Stuff like that always kills me and you know these kids don’t owe me anything,” Anderson said. “That was his final match and all he wanted to do was do better for others, he wants to have success for others. I just told him that he doesn’t have to apologize me for anything.”

Anderson said it was an honor to coach Begay but his biggest asset was what he did off the mat.

“Even on campus there are teachers that ask if I have that Begay kid,” Anderson said. “They tell me, ‘Man, he’s sharp and, man, he’s a good kid.’ I think those kinds of things just follow him.

“We’re just so proud of him as an individual,” he added. “We’re proud of what he was to his teammates with his leadership and his level of accountability. I think all of those things define his greatness. He has great human qualities and he’s the kind of kid that’s irreplaceable.”

With Begay being accepted to BYU, Anderson said pupil has a lot going for him.

“He’s going to go on and do great things,” he said. “He’s a high-quality person and I think that’s reflective with his whole family.”

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