EL PASO -- Defending Texas state champion Canyon Randall easily won the boys team title at Del Valle High School, but Saturday's finals of the 2010 Region I wrestling tournament definitely had a tinge of blue and gold to them.

That's because Eastwood High 145-pounder Andy Rico and 152-pound Bernie Gonzalez took home the city's only individual gold medals.

The Troopers' dynamic duo led a group of 19 local boys who qualified to advance to the state meet, set for Feb. 26-27 in Austin.


"All the guys are confident going to the state tournament," said Eastwood coach Roman Villa, whose team came within a whisker of a third individual gold when freshman Devin Vasquez nearly turned Randall's John Mark Avila in the final seconds of a narrow 3-2 loss. "Whether they finished first, second, third, wherever, they're confident they can make a run."

The 2009 135-pound state runner-up Rico was workmanlike, pinning every 145-pounder he faced over the two days, including just 55 seconds of work to get through Franklin's Johnny Gonzalez in the only all-El Paso finals.


"Practice, practice, practice, it all comes down to my practice," said Rico, who improved his record to 33-2 on the season. "You've got to get prepared mentally and physically."

Socorro three-time state qualifier Jonathan Sanchez defeated Canyon Randall's reigning 125-pound gold medalist Michiel Roberts inÊsemifinal action.

"I didn't know whether to yell or smile, or what. I felt like I'd already won first," said the silver medalist Sanchez, who lost an 11-3 major decision to Azle's Noah McKillip in the title match. "Now, I know I have the potential to become a state champion."

Hanks' Alec Silva (7-5 loss to Azle's Aaron Ryals at 119) also took home silver, along with first-time state qualifiers Lupe Sillas (Bowie, 13-5 loss to Randall's Marc Backus at 160), Franklin's Noah Earle (189 pounds, pinned by 2009 160-pound state champ Jace Bennett) and super heavyweight Kevin Muñoz (Americas, pinned by Amarillo defending regional champ Dalton Carter). But, everyone who qualified deemed themselves winners, as the top four finishers in each division advance to State.

"I was upset for just a little bit, but I knew I had to get my head on straight, because I had some must wins," said Burges three-time district champ Ricky Burns, who bounced back from a semis loss to Saginaw 135-pound runner-up Christian Moreno to eventually grab third place.