Turnout Strong For Pirate Wrestling Program

By DAVE BELCHER

The Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Wrestling team begins its season t his week with high hopes and great potential. They are coached by Head Coach Ryan Anderson, Assistant Coach Steve Katich and Assistant/JV Coach Aaron Walker.

Turnout for the sport was solid this year. The team roster consists of 41 wrestlers, one of the largest teams the Pirate program has seen in over a decade.

Anderson attributed the great numbers to several factors. First a very robust youth wrestling program has fed a steady stream of knowledgeable wrestlers to the Pirate team. In addition, Coach Walker who also stepped in this fall as MVHS assistant soccer coach, has been recruiting soccer players to the wrestling program. Finally, Anderson now teaching at the school, being on campus and in the classroom with the students during the day puts him in a spot to interact with them and forge relationships, Anderson said..

Some of the highlights this year are an incoming class of freshmen who have been wrestling for many years in the youth program These include Caleb Anderson, Tyson Houston and Brody Redd who all started wrestling when they were 4-5 years old.

The Pirates are also excited to have a good group of returning state qualifiers and placers this season.
Another exciting addition to the team is Chance Houston who wrestled in Arizona last year but has returned to Moapa Valley to finish out his senior season.

Perhaps one of the most noteworthy additions to the Pirates are their female wrestlers. Moapa Valley has never had female wrestlers until this year and Anderson is excited at this landmark for the team.

“With college women’s wrestling being the fastest growing collegiate sport, female wrestlers have a unique opportunity to participate after high school and earn scholarship opportunities,” Anderson said.

Additionally, the NIAA has sanctioned a female state championship tournament this year where the girls will earn official state medals, have their names written into the Nevada history books and help encourage the NIAA to sanction a full female wrestling season. This will catch up to other states who have had high school female wrestling for years.

As it stands, the female wrestlers for the Pirate team include Brooke Houston, Baylee Patten, Caitlyn and Megan Riordan and potentially Estella Monk.
“This group will be the first-ever female wrestlers in the history of Moapa Valley High School,” Anderson said. “And I could not be more proud of, and excited for them.”

Anderson expressed appreciaiton to his wife Michele for all of her hard work behind the scenes in helping with wrestling. Coach Aaron Walker was also mentioned for taking over as head coach of the Moapa Valley Wrestling Club and doing double duty as an assistant high school coach. Head JV Coach Steve Katich was appreciated for all of the time he puts into mentoring and training the athletes.

Finally Anderson thanks the parents and families who sacrifice weekends and the winter holidays to help make the program a success.

The Pirates will be hosting the Southern 3A Regional Wrestling Tournament this season on February 4, 2023. “The team will be reaching out to the community for volunteer help so we can ensure the tournament is a huge success,” Anderson said.

The team gets started this week with a meet at Eldorado High School in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Then they travel to Boulder City on Saturday. The Pirates’ first home meet will be a Dual against Del Sol and Boulder City on Tuesday, Dec. 6 beginning at 4 pm.