- By GREG LEE [email protected] Jan 5, 2022 Updated Jan 5, 2022
It’s been 29 years since Nampa High has captured a state wrestling championship.
The near three-decade drought should end this winter. Nampa is heavily favored to break through after coming close a year ago.
Bulldogs coach Roy Perales, though, isn’t having anything to do with that conversation.
“I think we are probably a better team but I thought we were last year and it didn’t do us any good,” Perales said. “I’m not ranking us No. 1 in the (coaches poll). I won’t rank us No. 1 until a Saturday night in late February. Nobody cares what you do in December and January.”
Perales was a sophomore on the 1992 Nampa team that won a state title.
“Our school hasn’t won a state championship in any sports in 29 years,” Perales said. “I was a freshman that year. We went undefeated in duals and won every tournament, but we went 0-6 in the (state) semifinals and got beat by Skyview. We beat Skyview a week before at district.”
Perales and company aren’t buying into any hype.
“The kids feel the same way as I do. We’re staying humble. We know how much work it’s going to take to get there,” Perales said.
Nampa has a lineup that will serve it well. From 98 pounds through 138 the Bulldogs don’t have a weak link. And they’re also strong in the upper weights.
The Bulldogs return nine state placers. Leading the way is sophomore Carson Exferd, who went undefeated last year at 106 pounds and jumps to 120, and junior Simon Luna (113), who pinned all of his opponents in the first round at state last year.
Junior Dedrick Navarro, a state champ as a freshman who was a runner-up last year. He’ll be at 106 pounds.
Exferd had yet to wrestle going into the holidays.
“He’s had some nagging things and we wanted to keep him out until after Christmas,” Perales said.
None of the state placers will be at the Rollie Lane tournament, Perales said. Nampa is opting to attend a tournament in Clovis, California.
“It’s one of the top tournaments in the country,” Perales said.
Perales is hoping COVID-19 and other illnesses don’t interrupt the season.
“There are just so many things with the virus that we won’t think that far ahead to state,” he said. “What I’ve learned is we’re not entitled to anything. We get what we earn.”
The other 4A area returners of note are Bishop Kelly’s Christopher Martino and Columbia Nico Rodriguez. Both are seniors.
Martino won a state title at 126 and Rodriguez, who moves up to heavyweight, won at 220 last year.
The near three-decade drought should end this winter. Nampa is heavily favored to break through after coming close a year ago.
Bulldogs coach Roy Perales, though, isn’t having anything to do with that conversation.
“I think we are probably a better team but I thought we were last year and it didn’t do us any good,” Perales said. “I’m not ranking us No. 1 in the (coaches poll). I won’t rank us No. 1 until a Saturday night in late February. Nobody cares what you do in December and January.”
Perales was a sophomore on the 1992 Nampa team that won a state title.
“Our school hasn’t won a state championship in any sports in 29 years,” Perales said. “I was a freshman that year. We went undefeated in duals and won every tournament, but we went 0-6 in the (state) semifinals and got beat by Skyview. We beat Skyview a week before at district.”
Perales and company aren’t buying into any hype.
“The kids feel the same way as I do. We’re staying humble. We know how much work it’s going to take to get there,” Perales said.
Nampa has a lineup that will serve it well. From 98 pounds through 138 the Bulldogs don’t have a weak link. And they’re also strong in the upper weights.
The Bulldogs return nine state placers. Leading the way is sophomore Carson Exferd, who went undefeated last year at 106 pounds and jumps to 120, and junior Simon Luna (113), who pinned all of his opponents in the first round at state last year.
Junior Dedrick Navarro, a state champ as a freshman who was a runner-up last year. He’ll be at 106 pounds.
Exferd had yet to wrestle going into the holidays.
“He’s had some nagging things and we wanted to keep him out until after Christmas,” Perales said.
None of the state placers will be at the Rollie Lane tournament, Perales said. Nampa is opting to attend a tournament in Clovis, California.
“It’s one of the top tournaments in the country,” Perales said.
Perales is hoping COVID-19 and other illnesses don’t interrupt the season.
“There are just so many things with the virus that we won’t think that far ahead to state,” he said. “What I’ve learned is we’re not entitled to anything. We get what we earn.”
The other 4A area returners of note are Bishop Kelly’s Christopher Martino and Columbia Nico Rodriguez. Both are seniors.
Martino won a state title at 126 and Rodriguez, who moves up to heavyweight, won at 220 last year.