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CONNELL -- Few wrestlers, even defending state champions, can count on their road to Mat Classic glory being without a surprise pothole here or there.
But for Nato Orozco, Connell's talented 215-pound junior, a surprise over the next three weeks seems about as likely as a wrestling match not breaking out at his family reunion.
It's not that Orozco is a shoo-in for a state title -- frankly, winning the SCAC regional title alone would be quite an accomplishment.
But when it comes to sorting out the 1A state bracket -- barring a whole slew of those potholes -- Orozco will have already faced half the field before ever setting foot inside the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 20.
"There will be a lot of good competition there," Orozco said, "so I'll have to be careful and smart."
Those are two key traits Connell coach Chuck Lee said have helped Orozco go 31-2 during the regular season. He has won all five invites he's wrestled in, including an impressive showing at the Best of the West in Pasco, where he won the 215 title and twice beat last year's 2A runner-up, DJ Hall of Colville.
But that's only the beginning of Orozco's experience against state-level talent.
Turns out, four of the top five ranked 215-pounders in the state reside in the SCAC -- Orozco, Mabton's Damien Marquez, Granger's Pete Almageur and Naches Valley's Logan Robert.
Marquez handed Orozco one of his two losses. It came early in the season when Orozco was learning the difference between 189 -- his weight last year, when he placed fourth at state -- and 215.
"It was a big adjustment," Orozco said. "I've just tried not to give up any more throws."
Orozco has beaten both Almageur and Robert, and those three from the SCAC West have traded wins among themselves. Additionally, Orozco has two wins over another highly regarded big man, Chelan's Sean Gervais, who placed eighth at 215 last year.
Indeed, those two wins in-fused some major confidence.
"With the Chelan kid, pretty much that was one of my biggest matches, and I defeated him twice," Orozco said. "I knew I could do well if I beat him."
Of course, looming over them all is Forks senior Luke Dixon, the top-ranked guy at 215 who beat Orozco twice at state last year -- handily.
But Lee said the plan is to put Orozco in position to have a chance. "The goal is to get back to state and be in the top four," Lee said. "On any given day, anyone in the top four can win it."
The first step in reaching the top four is Saturday at the SCAC East district tournament in Warden. The top four advance to the regional the following weekend in Connell against the SCAC West.
Lee said there's no real mystery to Orozco's success. He learns quickly, has amazing balance for a big man and doesn't give up a lot of points.
Plus, Lee said, "He's an Orozco."
Nato's brother, Ruben, wrestled at state in 2007, and his cousins Adam, Juventino and Jimmy placed eight times between them, each wrestling in a state final. Juventino won the 160 title in 2003.
Nato has been schooled by the best over the years since hitting the mats at the age of 5. He hopes the work pays off with another successful trip to the Tacoma Dome this year.
"I can't wait," he said. "I walked in there pretty shocked the first time. Now, I know what it's like, and I just got to do what I've got to do."
4A CBBN districts
The CBBN schools square off today and Saturday in Wenatchee.
The 16-man brackets will be pared down to five, with those five facing the top three out of the Greater Spokane League next week in Spokane to divvy up the region's four berths to state.
3A subregionals
The three CBBN schools and five from the GSL will wrestle today and Saturday at Mead High in Spokane.
The top four competitors from each 16-man bracket advance to regionals the following week in Sunnyside against the top four District 1 wrestlers. Again, the top four advance to state.
2A CWAC districts
Matches run tonight and Saturday in Wapato, with the top six advancing to regionals in Ellensburg the following week against the top five from the Great Northern League.
The seventh-place CWAC wrestler and No. 6 from the Great Northern will compete to fill out the 12-man regional bracket. The top five will advance to state.
* Kevin Anthony: 582-1403; kanthony@tricityherald.com
