RGC Wrestling Celebrates 20th Year with Quad Meet Victory

Rio Grande City (RGC) marked a significant milestone in its wrestling program’s history with a thrilling quad meet held on January 11th. The event not only showcased the team’s prowess on the mat but also served as Senior Night and Alumni Night, adding a sentimental touch to the celebration of the program’s 20th year. 

The RGC wrestling program has a storied legacy, producing notable talents such as Lisa Marie Gonzalez, a state champion who has continued her journey in the wrestling world as a coach in Detroit after wrestling at Lindenwood University. The program’s head coach, Ronald Pratt, has cultivated a lasting legacy, guiding his own children through the program and later coaching alongside his daughter, Ashleigh. 

The event also honored two senior wrestlers, Vivien Leigh Canales at the 107 and Lia Kathleen Gutierrez at the 185, both achieving the remarkable feat of 100 career wins. These achievements were acknowledged with well-deserved recognition during the event. 

The quad meet featured intense competition, with RGC facing off against Edcouch-Elsa, Weslaco East, and Rio Grande City Grulla. The results reflected the team’s dedication and skill, securing victories against Edcouch-Elsa, Weslaco East, and a close match against Rio Grande City Grulla. 

Notable individual performances included Justice Gutierrez at 126, Aiden Valdovinos at 138, and Bryan Alanis at 285, all contributing crucial points to RGC’s success in the meet. The final team scores showcased RGC’s dominance, finishing with wins against each opponent. 

As the RGC wrestling program looks back on two decades of success, the quad meet on Senior Night and Alumni Night will undoubtedly be remembered as a fitting celebration of the program’s rich history and its promising future. 

Match 1: RGC vs. Edcouch-Elsa (Team Score: RGC 34, Edcouch-Elsa 24) + 100 lbs: Esperanza Cardona (Edcouch-Elsa) secured a victory over Veronica Gonzalez (RGC) with a fall at 3:21. 

+ 126 lbs: Dayana Gonzalez (RGC) displayed skill, defeating Nayeli Burnias (Edcouch-Elsa) with a Major Decision (MD) of 9-0.

This hard-fought match resulted in RGC clinching the victory with a final team score of 34 to Edcouch-Elsa’s 24. 

Match 2: RGC vs. Weslaco East (Team Score: RGC 36, Weslaco East 6) + 120 lbs: Yulissa Palacios (Weslaco East) secured a win over Dayana Gonzalez (RGC) with a fall at 1:53. 

+ 165 lbs: Ciara Barrera (RGC) dominated her opponent, contributing to the team’s decisive win. 

RGC showcased its strength and skill, finishing the match with a team score of 36 against Weslaco East’s 6. 

Match 3: RGC vs. Rio Grande City Grulla (Team Score: RGC 21, Grulla 24) + 100 lbs: Audrey Zarate (Rio Grande City Grulla) secured a win over Veronica Gonzalez (RGC) with a fall at 1:21. 

+ 126 lbs: Amy Montoya (Rio Grande City Grulla) triumphed over Dayana Gonzalez (RGC) with a fall at 2:47. 

+ 165 lbs: Ciara Barrera (RGC) emerged victorious over Christie Garza with a fall at 0:49 contributing to the team’s score. 

+ 235 lbs: Lilliana Canales (RGC) was victorious over Dora Olivarez by a decision 7-2. 

This closely contested match resulted in RGC narrowly falling to Rio Grande City Grulla with a team score of 21 to Grulla’s 24. 

Match 4: RGC vs. Weslaco East (Team Score: RGC 48, Weslaco East 24) + 120 lbs: Joseph Ozuna (RGC) secured a win over Samuel Trevino (Weslaco East) with a close decision of 5-4. 

+ 138 lbs: Aiden Valdovinos (RGC) showcased dominance over Isaias Serna with a quick fall at 0:44. 

+ 144 lbs: Leonardo Garcia (RGC) won by decision 7-1 over Andrew Vasquez. 

+ 150 lbs: Jonathan Munoz (Weslaco East) over Abisai Cantu with a fall James Aguilera (Weslaco East) over Eleazar Barboza with a fall at 4:33. + 165 lbs: Roberto Meza(RGC) with a quick pin in 0:31 over Adam Lopez. + 175 lbs: Jesus Portillo (RGC) contributed to the team’s success with a win. 

+ 190 lbs: Andrew Benitez (RGC) secured a pin at 5:04 over Giancarlo Diaz. 

+ 285lbs: Bryan Alaniz had a powerful win that got the crowd’s attention with a fall at 1:42 over Julian Gonzalez.

RGC demonstrated its resilience, finishing the match with a convincing team score of 48 against Weslaco East’s 24. 

Match 5: RGC vs. Edcouch-Elsa (Team Score: RGC 51, Edcouch Elsa 9) + 120 lbs: Joseph Ozuna (RGC) secured a narrow victory over Alfredo Campos (Edcouch-Elsa) with a decision of 10-9. 

+ 126 lbs: Justice Gutierrez (RGC) dominated the mat with a pin at 1:40 over Alberto Garcia. 

+ 138 lbs: Aiden Valdovinos (RGC) showcased dominance with a fall at 5:16. 

+ 150 lbs: Angel Garza (Edcouch-Elsa) won a match over Edrick Pena with a decision 3-1. 

+ 157 lbs: Senon Moya (Edcouch-Elsa) won by default due to injury over Eleazar Barboza. 

+ 190 lbs: Andrew Benitiez (RGC) defeated Daniel Rodriguez with a pin at the end of the first period. 

RGC continued its impressive performance, finishing the match with a resounding team score of 51 against Edcouch-Elsa’s 9. 

Match 6: RGC vs. Rio Grande City Grulla (Team Score: RGC 57, Grulla 24) + 138 lbs: Aiden Valdovinos (RGC) claimed victory over Oscar Castillo (Rio Grande City Grulla) due to an injury, showcasing his dominance in the match. 

+ 150 lbs: Abisai Cantu (RGC) demonstrated strength and skill, securing a win over Ricardo Solis (Rio Grande City Grulla) with a fall at 2:30. + 190 lbs: Aden Lopez (Rio Grande City Grulla) managed to secure a win over Andrew Benitez (RGC) with a fall at 4:56. 

+ 113 lbs: Joseph Ozuna (RGC) displayed his wrestling skills, securing a win over Juan Velasquez (Rio Grande City Grulla) with a decision of 5-3. 

RGC closed the quad meet with a decisive victory against Rio Grande City Grulla, finishing with a team score of 57 against Grulla’s 24. 

These matches not only highlighted the individual talents within the RGC wrestling team but also showcased their collective strength and determination in celebrating the program’s 20th year.00