EL PASO -- The Eastwood High School boys wrestling team has won the District 1-5A championship each of the past six years, and lucky number seven appears well within its grasp.
The No. 1-ranked Troopers, who open the season today at home against Burges in a dual meet, are anxious to improve upon last season.
"We didn't do as well as we had hoped at regionals last year," coach Roman Villa said. "We have the defending state champs (Canyon Randall) in our region, so we'd like to finish as high as third at regionals and in the Top 10 at state."
Eastwood will field a talented and veteran team this season.
"We're pretty experienced," Villa said. "Of our 15 available weight classes, we have 12 wrestlers who have competed on varsity before."
The unquestioned leader of the team is Andy Rico, who advanced all the way to the state championship in the 135-pound weight class a year ago.
"Rico is a very special wrestler," Villa said. "I don't think he knows how good he really is. He's confident, but very soft spoken; not cocky or arrogant at all."
Rico certainly has the experience to be a leader.
"I started wrestling when I was 5 years old," he said. "My dad got me involved in the sport and taught me everything I know. He's always been my coach and my role model."
Rico is as excited about his team's season as he is about some individual goals.
"I'm looking forward to another chance at a state title," he said. "As a team, I'd like to think we can finish as high as fourth in state this year."
Villa said, "Everybody's telling him that he's going to win state for the next two years. That's a lot of pressure for a young man. He has to forget about last year, especially because he's moving up in weight to 145 pounds."
Other wrestlers who are top returners for the Troopers include Colton Woodruff and Devin Vasquez.
Woodruff spent time in Minnesota over the summer wrestling against some of the top wrestlers in the country, and Vasquez was an All-American as a youth wrestler.
