Rico Montoya is solidifying himself as one of the best wrestlers ever to come out of New Mexico.
Photo courtesy of Dave Kavanaugh, Las Vegas Optic
admits he was too small for basketball, so he simply became the best high school wrestler in New Mexico.
The 132-pound senior from
Robertson (Las Vegas, N.M.) has won his last 81 matches and is seeking a record-tying fifth state championship this winter. Entering this season his four-year record was a sparkling 152-4.
Kolbe Fraley, who operates ZiaWrestler.com, told MaxPreps, "He's hands-down the best in the state."
Piedra Vista (Farmington) coach Mike Bejar says, "He is an absolute stud. Technique-wise, he is a great, solid wrestler. Besides wrestling, he has great character."
Rico Montoya, Robertson
Photo courtesy of Dave Kavanaugh, Las Vegas Optic
Montoya's own coach, Richard Martinez, points to his "awesome work ethic on and off the mat. He does a lot of it on his own, traveling (to find the toughest competition) and things like that. He just dominates and is in your face constantly. I trust him like one of my own boys."
Montoya says that he stretches to 5-foot-5 "on a good day."
However, as a mere eighth grader, he posted a 33-2 record and won the state title at 103 pounds. He was 37-1 with a title at 120 during his freshman year and 42-1 with a repeat 120 crown as a sophomore. Then as a junior he ran the table with a 40-0 record and the 132 championship.
He recalled that his first title as an eighth-grader "shocked me a little bit. The atmosphere was a lot different, but I loved the environment (big crowd) and it helped motivate me. It's on a big stage where you are the only one wrestling and I like that experience. It gives some extra push."
One of his state tourney wins that first year was a pin against a junior from Silver City.
As if it was yesterday, Montoya described him as a wrestler "who had tattoos all over him. It intimidated me a little."
Last year's 40-0 season was especially noteworthy.
Montoya explained, "It was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders (first unbeaten record) and I'm going to try to do it again this year."
Already this season he is off to a 9-0 start with six pins. Included were six victories in the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions where he defeated several outstanding wrestlers from other states. His last loss was in overtime to a wrestler from Colorado during his sophomore year.
Montoya, who has been wrestling since age 5, describes his style as "real offensive, in your face, attack, attack, attack. I wrestle every match like it's the national championship."
And, by the way, he already does have one national championship, winning the title at 126 pounds last spring during the National High School Coaches Association meet in Virginia Beach, Va.
He does concede, though, that his aggressive style sometimes gets him in trouble.
"It has its pros and cons, I guess," he admitted. "It got me in trouble a lot of times, but I just have got to learn to adjust."
The Robertson superstar carries a perfect 4.0 GPA and already has signed with Division I Northern Colorado where he will wrestle for his boyhood idol, Troy Nickerson.
"I had his poster on my wall," he pointed out, not knowing then that he some day would be up close and personal with Nickerson.
Though he hopes eventually to make the USA World Wrestling Team, Montoya plans to major in biology and become a dentist. He may also dabble in coaching on the side.
He enjoys horseback riding at the home of his coach, who named his newest horse Rico because his energy reminds him of his star pupil. Montoya hopes to ride Rico in the near future.
There remains one steadfast goal during his senior year - tying the record with his fifth state title and joining some of the elite wrestlers in New Mexico history.
Montoya emphasized, "I've been working for this since my youth days to show my parents that all the hard work and money spent was for a purpose."
