When 160-pound Nogales High grappler Emanuel Valencia was younger, he admits he was a “fat kid.” One day, he was being bullied, got punched and the change he had in his pocket flew to the ground like it was coming from a broken piggy bank.

CDO’s Kevin Piña writhes in pain as Nogales High’s Francisco Manjarrez puts on the pressure. Manjarrez won the 140-pound weight class with a 13-1 major decision. Photo / William Wilczewski

Valencia has had the nickname “Piggy” ever since.

Some things have changed since then, though. The nickname spurred his interest in wrestling, so he might lose some weight and learn to handle himself.

Now, “Piggy” is bullying other people, but on the mat�”just like he did Wednesday night when he manhandled Can Del Oro’s Tyus Patterson in a second round pinfall.

“He was just strong, but I knew I had more technique,” Valencia, a senior, said after the match. “The fight inside the wrestler is what’s most important. That’s what it takes to win.”

After going 1-3 in the five-way meet at Marana Nov. 25, Valencia said Wednesday’s match was also a way to “redeem” himself and get back on track.

He did just that�”and so did his fellow Apaches, which completely stunned the Dorados in a 78-0 near perfect storm shutout; the perfect shutout being 84-0 on the current scoring system.

“I thought we’d win three or four matches,” said CDO coach Kevin Sampson, who couldn’t fill three weight classes with some of his grapplers still on the gridiron prepping for tomorrow’s state championship game. “But (Nogales is) a lot stronger than last year. They have a full team this year and they’re very tough.

“This is the kind of whoopin’ you get from Sunnyside,” he added. “It was such a bad beating that I can’t get upset about it. If we’d of lost by four but I thought we could have done better, I would be upset but this was just too much.”

It was also the first time in at least nine years, and quite possibly school history, that the Apache wrestling program shut out an opposing team.

“It shows that we’re moving in the right direction,” said Nogales skipper Vince Villanucci, “but I will always tell my kids to never be satisfied; that they can always do better.”

It doesn’t get much better, though, than seven pins, three major decisions and three forfeits.

Aside from Piggy’s pin, freshman Nick Colgate, a 130-pounder, continued his career unbeaten streak (2-0) after stopping Lance Light with 1 minute, 27 seconds left in the third period of their match.

Down 6-2 heading into the final stanza, Colgate knew his back was against the wall, but he remained focused.

“It was crazy,” Colgate said. “I was surprised I could pull it out �- but I thought he was tired so I knew I needed a pin or a lot of points.”

Points, however, was what helped 112-pound Nick Inzunza top Gabriel Mendoza. The senior topped his foe in an 8-1 major decision Wednesday.

After going 2-2 at Marana Nov. 25, “I’ve been cutting weight and I redeemed myself today,” he said. “I just wrestled smarter and tougher, and got my shots in.”

After taking fifth at state last season, Inzunza said he is shooting for the title this season, and thinks the Apaches also have a shot at the top prize as a team.

“I think it’s the best team we’ve had in my four years,” he said. “We have a good chance in our region and, hopefully, we can place at state.”