Good Sports: Buchanan and Clovis Wrestling

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Wrestling runs in the blood literally for both the Clovis and Buchanan programs.

"Very tight knit, close knit. We live right around each other, we always make fun we are like "Everybody loves Raymond" where we live across the street from each other," said Buchanan head coach Troy Tirapelle.

It's a family affair for Buchanan's Troy Tirapelle who takes on his brother Adam and father Steve at Clovis for more than just bragging rights.

"We see ourselves as the bench mark for wrestling and we are expecting good things. Our kids have trained hard and prepared all year, this is the week they've worked for," said Clovis head coach Steve Tirapelle.

"We have two of the best teams not just in the state but in the country. We happen to be five miles apart, happen to have relatives at both schools. We want to win, they want to win and that's what makes it fun and that what makes the rivalry great," said Clovis assistant coach Adam Tirapelle.

A rivalry that had been one sided with Clovis rattling off five straight state championships (2011-2015) until Buchanan broke the trend winning a state title in 2016.

"We want to just start our own streak and we've got won and we want to keep it going, keep the ball rolling," said Buchanan wrestler Matthew Olguin.

"We don't want to dodge the good guys. We want to wrestle them as many times through the year just to know how they wrestle, you get a good feel," said Clovis wrestler Justin Mejia.

Competition breeding success, learning lessons on and off the mat.

"You are constantly learning new skills that you are going to be required later in life. They will enjoy those skills even if they don't wrestle. When they go to college or on any endeavors they will be better prepared for that than most people," said Steve Tirapelle.