Valley’s Munguia moves from ‘worst’ to first

At the end of his freshman season at Valley, Ulises Munguia was named the worst wrestler in an unofficial vote by his teammates.

Three years later, Munguia is enjoying the last laugh.

"Now, all the older kids, I'm where they always wanted to be their senior year," he said. "I'm doing the things that they wanted to do."

Munguia won the Division I Sunrise Region title at 106 pounds last week, and the Vikings' senior will try to cap his career in style Saturday when he competes at the Division I state tournament.

The Division I, I-A and III/IV tournaments begin at 8:30 a.m. at Star of the Desert Arena in Primm. The championship finals are scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

"From the time that I had him from the beginning of this year, just his improvement being a polished wrestler and critiquing his craft is great," first-year Valley coach Chris Armstrong said. "He works very hard, and he's very consistent at what he does. I couldn't ask for anyone better."

Munguia was introduced to the sport by an older cousin who wrestled at Valley, but admittedly struggled as a freshman.

Motivated by the dubious honor his teammates bestowed on him at the end of that season, Munguia began working out with the Monkey Gym club wrestling program and showed dramatic improvement.

Munguia qualified for the Sunrise Region tournament at 113 pounds as a sophomore and won his first match before bowing out in the wrestle-back bracket.

Last season, Munguia lost in the 106-pound semifinals at the region tournament, but he bounced back to defeat Daniel Brathor of Green Valley 6-5 in the third-place match to qualify for the Division I state tournament.

Munguia, along with practice partner Isaias Urbina, became the first Valley wrestlers to qualify for the state tournament since Mason Tackett and Koran Robinson in 2011.

"Valley was never known for wrestling, but I was always looking up to those veteran guys who wrestled," Munguia said. "Now, coming forward, I try to be the role model for the next generation. ... We're trying to get Valley back on the map for the wrestling powerhouse it once was."

Munguia has compiled a 37-2 record this season, with his losses coming at the Las Vegas Holiday Classic in December. Munguia took first at Cimarron-Memorial's Spartan Duals on Dec. 30 and also won the Chaparral Invitational last month.

"He knows how to dictate the match and take it where he wants to go, and that's something we talked about this season was dictating where you want the match to go," Armstrong said.

At the Sunrise tournament last week, Munguia struggled early against Estrella Maestas of Foothill and was nearly pinned before he came away with a 15-4 victory in the quarterfinals.

Munguia then edged Jeffrey Camal of Rancho 6-5 in the semifinals before scoring four takedowns on the way to a 10-5 decision over Green Valley's Tyler Dockery in the championship match.

"Getting to the finals and getting to be the champion I didn't get to be last year, it's something I've always dreamed of," Munguia said. "Ever since my freshman year, I've always thought of myself winning the regional tournament my senior year."

Munguia faces Spanish Springs sophomore Owen Jones in the first round of the state tournament. Valley, which won five straight team titles from 1971 to 1975, hasn't produced an individual champion in at least 20 years, according to Review-Journal records that go back to 1997.

"What I think Ulises has done, he's put a stamp on wrestling at Valley as a whole, being a team leader and a team captain and (showing), 'Hey, we're here to compete now,'" Armstrong said. "He's made that very clear. He's been at the forefront and he's led the charge with our team, and he's done well."

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ