Wasting no time
Anthony Rivera wrestles like a young man intent on making up for lost time.
It’s as if, somewhere in the back of his mind, he hopes that by dispatching opponents as quickly as possible, he can get back the time he lost at the end of his junior season.
The University High School senior 119-pounder, one of the state’s top-ranked Class 4A wrestlers in his weight class throughout his junior season, saw his postseason cut short on the eve of the state tournament when he aggravated an old injury.
“I dislocated my elbow at this time last year,” Rivera said. “I tried to wrestle with it, but I couldn’t go. It was hard to give it up.”
Most of Rivera’s matches are over in the first two-minute period; they rarely reach the third. He wrestles with intensity combined with a sense of urgency, dispatching opponents quickly and efficiently. He walks onto the mat like a hunter stalking prey and attacks at the opening whistle. The only times he stops attacking are to change periods or to have his arm raised in victory.
No wasted moves, no wasted energy. And no wasted time.
He talks the same way.
“It’s not something I intentionally do,” Rivera said. “But I do feel big at 119 pounds. I even feel big at 125. I feel like I’m stronger than my opponent.”
Rivera started wrestling at an early age and burst onto the high school scene as a sophomore at East Valley, advancing to the state Class 3A championship match, where he lost to three-time state champion and four-time state placer Derek Crouter of Sedro Woolley.
“My parents started looking for a new house before my junior year,” Rivera said. “I could have stayed at East Valley, but I thought it would be a good move for wrestling. It gave me a chance to work with my friend, Brian Owen.
“Brian and I have been friends for a long time, but we only wrestled against each other when we were really young.”
The longtime friends became workout partners at U-Hi. The former national cadet champion, former state champion and three-time state placer became Rivera’s role model – especially in the practice room, where Owen pushes himself relentlessly.
“You don’t stop when you work with Brian,” he said. “You go constantly, from the start of practice to the end. When you have a guy like that in the practice room with you, you can’t help but get better.
“He forced me to improve my technique and he definitely forced me to get better physically.”
Rivera currently is ranked No. 2 in the state at 119 pounds behind Brandon Rodgers of Kentwood, last year’s 112-pound champion. His only two losses thus far this season have come against veteran state placers.
He captured the 119-pound championship at the Inland Empire Classic tournament at Central Valley to start the season, pinning his way to the first-place finish – winning his opening-round match in just 25 seconds.
The senior’s only loss in a Greater Spokane League match came against Mead. Moving up to 125 pounds to match-up with Phillip Smith, who placed third a year ago at 119 pounds, the pair wrestled to a 1-1 tie after regulation. Smith got a takedown 15 seconds into overtime to win the match, 3-1.
Rivera’s only loss at 119 pounds came in the championship round of the annual Tri-State Tournament at North Idaho College.
“I felt really good on the first day of that tournament,” Rivera said. “But for some reason I never feel good the second day and I didn’t wrestle the way I should have. No excuses; it’s all on me.”
Rivera pinned his way into the semifinals, dispatching Travis Leedom of Kuna, Idaho, in just 1:06, Drew Dacey of Mountainview in 3:22 and Jake Stillwell of Lake Stevens in 1:49. He scored a 3-2 victory over Jacob Lauderdale of Lakeside to reach the finals, where he lost a 7-2 decision to Kyle McCrite of Lakeland, the Idaho Class 4A runner-up a year ago.
Rivera said the plan is for him to wrestle at 125-pounds during the dual-meet GSL season and drop down to 119 for tournaments.
“I have to work hard to get down to 119 for a tournament,” he said. “Basically, once I finish wrestling practice, I go home, change into my running gear and head over to Oz Fitness. I run there for 45 minutes and then shower up.”
That work ethic carries over to weeks when Rivera doesn’t have a weekend tournament.
“I try to stick to it just to make sure I keep my edge,” he said. “The only problem is shin splints.
“But that’s what it has to be this time of year. I have school and I have my wrestling. I can’t allow myself to have distractions right now. That’s all on hold until after state.”