Cimarron’s Sinyard sets sights on title
Austin Sinyard knows precisely what he wants out of his senior year.
After capturing the Sunset Region individual championship and finishing second in the state tournament at 285 pounds last season, the Cimarron-Memorial wrestler desires another shot at the state title.
“I’ve been working really hard over the summer, and I went to a bunch of tournaments,” said Sinyard, who went 43-5 as a junior. “Last year, I came up short to (Eldorado’s) Mike Williams, a really good wrestler. To win it this year, I’ll have to work even harder than last year and push myself even further.”
Sinyard is busy working on preventing takedowns and honing his footwork — a skill set Spartans coach Mike Garcia says is improving.
“He has really good feet, and his motion is excellent,” Garcia said. “That’s why he’s a very successful heavyweight. Heavyweights tend to plod around, but he doesn’t do that.”
He’s also not just concerned with his own accolades. His greater goal is to pilot Cimarron to its first state team championship since the 2009 season.
“I’m trying to be the best leader I can so that the entire team can win state,” he said. “If we can win state, that just shows how tough we really are and that we know we can beat any team in the valley.”
The Spartans, who fell to Palo Verde 179½-177½ in the Sunset Region meet and came in a distant second to powerhouse Green Valley in the Class 4A state meet, will have to overcome a dramatic change in personnel to regain a spot among the elite.
Individual state champions Chris Colwell and Bronson Ashjian, a two-time state title winner, have graduated.
“You have to replace kids every year and kids learn to step up,” Garcia said. “It’s just part of the program. I’m here, and I’m the person who needs to step up and get the job done. They know when they come in that room, they’re going to be working hard.”
Among other hurdles, the Spartans no longer have longtime co-coach Tim Jefferies, who retired from the school district and now coaches wrestling at Faith Lutheran. To fill the void, Garcia gave the title to Eugene Harris, a state champion for the Spartans in 1997 who wrestled at the University of Oregon.
“It’s huge,” Garcia said of Jefferies’ departure. “By far that’s our biggest loss, without question. It’s not even close. Him and I being together so long, it’s just a big change.”
Garcia said he will adapt to the turnover by using Harris’ expertise to fine-tune a core group of upperclassmen that includes seniors Arram Price and Donovan Dykes, an athletic wrestler who will compete at 152 or 160.
He also expects a strong showing from Paul Bagnoli and junior Angel Laurente. Garcia said Laurente, who spent last season on the junior varsity, will start off at 126.
“He’s one of those guys that needs a little seasoning,” Garcia said. “But he’s going to be really good.”
To mold this new crop of wrestlers, Garcia said the team will follow Sinyard’s lead.
“He brings experience and leadership,” Garcia said. “Every team has to have that. Young guys have to see a person like him and understand where success comes from. You have to have some person that others can emulate.”
Sinyard embraces the leadership role and is quick to point out his desire to help the less experienced wrestlers.
“The only way we can be successful is if every last person is working hard,” he said. “I’m looking around the room and that’s what we’ve been doing. We have a lot of really hard workers. We have some new kids that don’t have as much experience as some of the other teams, but I do believe, without a doubt, we have the hardest working team out there.”
