Sunnyside High AZ: Humble & Hard-Working

By Bill X. Barron, RMN Events Writer

“We had a real successful season – undefeated in duals and tournaments, with 8 kids in the State Finals,” says Coach Fernando Villaescusa of Arizona’s Sunnyside High School. Yet regardless of their success, he admires these kids for “being so humble, so hard-working, and all are honors students. I totally love these kids; they could all be my sons.”

Coach V is excited to bring “my best team ever” to the RMN National Duals. “It’s an opportunity to see national level competition while also having some fun. We want to see where we stand, where the work has taken us, find out how good we are. It’s an opportunity to build upon our long tradition.”

Fernando believes that the team’s strength comes from the families and the support they receive from the community. As this year’s 40th anniversary of Sunnyside’s first state championship team illustrates, the successful individuals on the 2018-19 team emanate from uncles and dads who themselves were multiple state champions for the Blue Devils. “Wrestling is rooted in our community,” declares Coach Villaescusa, whose own son Fernando was a state finalist as a 9th grader.

“The RMN Duals are a tremendous opportunity to better ourselves,” Coach V continues. “I am so impressed with the show RMN puts on. For the all-star matches at the Monster Match, with the fire tunnel for kids to enter the mat stage, that’s just promotion at another level.”

What distinguishes this team for Fernando is that “despite their high credentials – including some who are world-level competitors – they are always willing to put it all on the line. Sometimes the greatest wrestlers lose. You have to respect and honor either result. One wrestler has to win. Our kids will not hide from greatness.”

Coach is “at a loss of words in describing this team. They are so committed to their best. I love coaching a homegrown team, especially with the whole community involved. These are kids I have been around since they were little. It truly means something special when you have grown up with the entire team. There’s a whole lot of love in and out of the room.”

Together, Warrior 52 and RMN Events are launching an antibacterial body wash product made with tea tree oil to fight ringworm, impetigo, and Mersa. The RMN-branded product, Warrior 52, will be available at upcoming event booths. Coach Villaescusa swears by the product: “Our team all uses it, which is why we are always clean and healthy. You don’t want your best wrestlers to not be able to compete because of a skin issue.”

Sunnyside High School (AZ) – Team Line-Up 2019 98 – Jr. Armstrong (AZ Jr. High State Champ), Ricardo Lopez 106 – Christian Rivera, Victor Lopez (3rd State) 115 – James Brown (State Champ) 120 – Jaimito Rivera (State Champ) 126 – Jesse Ybarra (2X State Champ, 1X Finalist), Fargo National Champ (beat Dominick Serrano, CO 3X State Champ, Fargo Champ in the 2018 Monster Match Prelims [4-2 OT]) – Abrin Vazquez

132 – Sebastian Robles, Aaron Rodriguez (2X State Champ, 3rd Place)

140 – Rico Robles (State Champ) 145 – Anthony Echemendia (State Champ) 152 – Rene Fragoso 160 – Fernando Villaescusa (State Finalist) 170 – Noah Martinez (State Qualifier) 180 – Eli Wyatt (State Champ), Orlando Sotelo (State Qualifier) 195 – James Soto (5th State) 220 – Edmundo Pena 285 – Adrian Monreal (State Finalist), Harvey Gonzalez