Senior Spotlight: Clovis West football and wrestling star weighing multiple offers

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- One senior at Clovis West still weighing his options for next year, but in talking to his coaches, he'll find success if he chooses to play football decides to wrestle.

"When you think of the epitome of a student-athlete, Mateo is who you think of."

Mateo Morales split his time at Clovis West on the football field and the wrestling mat.

"He doesn't expect anything from someone else that he's not going to expect from himself and I think that goes a long way in defining him as a person and as an athlete," said Clovis West Football Coach Tim Randall.

"I have an older brother and an older sister and a younger sister just growing up with them and stuff, and my parents were really influential in my life. My dad has been a great influence on my life and my mom as well," Morales said when asked where that came from.

Taking after his older brother Cortes, Mateo started wrestling at the age of four.

"I saw a lot of work ethic, a lot of determination, I've seen a lot of maturity," said Clovis West Wrestling Coach Kyle Gilchrist.

After getting knocked at state his sophomore and junior years, Mateo won valley and headed to the state finals hungry to leave a mark.

"Learning through failure, I guess you could say. My sophomore year I went 0-2 at state, and that really kicked my butt. I wanted to work harder because of that."

The hard work paid off - earning a spot on the podium with a seventh-place finish.

"His maturity level is just different. When we would talk about concepts, he grasped concepts differently."

With both coaches raving about him, it's no surprise that the same thing is going on at the college level.

"Cal Lutheran offered me for football, I have something in the works right now with Fresno State for wrestling as far as a wrestling offer, and then Cal Baptist offered me for wrestling."

Wherever he ends up, coaches feel his future is bright.

"He's perfectly content with his work ethic and who he is... and no matter what choice he makes, they're going to work out because he believes that in himself."