Jose Tapia looks to continue dominance in New Mexico wrestling

It's a long-range prediction, but Capital (Santa Fe) junior Jose Tapia has a great shot at becoming only the seventh wrestler in New Mexico history to win five state championships. He already has notched titles in eighth-, ninth- and 10th-grade.

Wrestling this year at 126 pounds, Tapia currently boasts a 19-0 record, stretching his winning streak to 108 matches and overall high school record to 123-2. He never has lost an in-state match on the mat. His only two defeats — both in eighth grade — were forfeits.

The first forfeit came during a tourney in which the official called a head butt and he also was forced to  automatically forfeit the following match.

Capital coach Marcos Gallegos pointed out, "He was a little emotional and just went a little too hard."



Tapia admitted, "I was disappointed. I wanted to be undefeated in high school."

Still, he won the state crown as an eighth-grader, recalling, "That felt really good. I just had tunnel vision all the way through. I expected to win, because I put in the work."

Thus his other major goal is still intact: winning his fourth title this year and No. 5 as a senior.

That goal is very realistic, according to coach Gallegos and Kolbe Fraley of ZiaWrestler.com.

Fraley says Tapia "is a physical, but not mean wrestler. Nobody has really challenged him. He just eats everybody up. He is a pinning machine with top being his best position, as he finds a variety of ways to pick up tilts and turns. It's unlikely anyone in New Mexico can contend with him ... When he wrestles in New Mexico, he is the hammer and everyone else, well, they are the nails.  I don't think anything can stop him except himself."

Gallegos adds, "He is pretty dominating in the state of New Mexico. He is really good on his feet. He is hard to stop when he gets on top — almost unstoppable. He works on his tilts to help get to the next level. He's kind of methodical. The last two years I felt he was like a python. He wears you out and breaks you down.

"One thing for me is just his focus. I never have seen a kid focus like him. And his poise on the mat. He's probably one of the strongest 126-pounders I ever have coached. For me, personally, he is the best wrestler — pound for pound — in the state of New Mexico. We don't talk about (winning five titles), but he is more than capable."



Tapia says simply that wrestling "is like my (whole) life. I always think about it. I try to concentrate and get someone on his back and score points. If I can lock it up quick, then I pin them. On the mat I am pretty intense. (Off the mat) I'm pretty mellow."

Credit his father, Johnny Tapia, for starting him in wrestling at age three. His father coaches youngsters and has a wrestling room at their home where up to 25 aspiring grapplers will be working and learning the sport throughout the year. Younger brother Javier is a talented freshman wrestler on the Capital squad. Father and grandfather also have been wrestling officials.

They easily could be called New Mexico's "First Family of Wrestling."

As a third-grader, Jose already was wrestling in state and national tournaments. He notched his first major title in Denver as a seventh-grader. Since then he also has won tourneys in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and Virginia.

Jose already had a great reputation when he made the Capital varsity as an eighth-grader.

Gallegos recalled, "He always had been one of the top prospects in the state. He knew his stuff — a lot of basics. He is a student of the game. He loves to go to a lot of camps and clinics. He gets online and watches different matches. Give him information and he is going to use it later in his book of tricks. His whole goal is to make it to the college level and be successful. I just love to watch him wrestle."



Jose calls his current winning streak, "exciting, but I don't really think about that."

His greatest thrill was winning the National High School Coaches Association National Tournament championship as a rising sophomore at 106 pounds in Virginia Beach, Va. He also won as a rising junior at 113.

Mattie Potter, who is the NHSCA Championships Event Coordinator, told MaxPreps that "Tapia shows he has been to the big show and excelled there. He possesses patience and confidence while on the mat. It shows in his performance that he puts a great of time in the room as he continues to improve skill wise each year at our events. His mission is to always be on top of the podium. With that drive he will continue to shine."

Jose has a 3.4 GPA and hopes to study business in college. He has no solid scholarship offers yet, but his talent and tireless work ethic ensure a bright future at the next level.