Pateros enters learning season with two state wrestling veterans

PATEROS – Of the dozen wrestlers on the Billygoats varsity team this season, seven are first year competitors so as coach Bill Haley said, “It’s going to be a learning year.”
Haley does have two wrestlers with both state experience and rankings among the top 10 in their weight classes, according to the website Washington Wrestling Report.
Freshman Erik Espino placed sixth as an eighth grader and is ranked fifth in the 106-pound division this season, while sophomore Slade Ginter is sixth in the 160-pound weight class.
Joining Espino and Ginter this season is senior Enrique Castellano, junior Jesse Ginter, sophomore Ramiro Ambriz, freshmen Erick Foster, Santana Ayala, and Jacob Collins, and eighth graders Joshua Smith, Danny Dowers, Seth Russell, and Oscar Ambriz.
Haley said he has nobody who will qualify in the 285-pound heavyweight division but hopes to fill most brackets from 195 pounds on down. Right now, one of his problems is having three wrestlers, including state veteran Espino, in the 106-pound category.
The Billygoats opened their season on the road at the Davenport Tournament last Saturday, Dec. 2, and were scheduled to complete in the Liberty Bell Mixer on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Pateros will travel to the Oroville Mixer on Friday, Dec. 8, and the following day will be at the Okanogan Tourney.
The Billygoats will be on the road every weekend except for Christmas week until they host their own tournament on Jan. 18