Miller's Brayden Dennis learns wrestling quickly, eyes state meet berth
Brayden Dennis first walked into the wrestling room at Buccaneer Stadium adjacent to Miller High School at the behest of two of his football coaches a little more than three years ago.
Three years later, the move is paying off for Dennis, a Buccaneer senior, who is coming off his first district championship and is on a quest to qualify for the regional tournament for the third straight time.
“When I first got here, I instantly loved it,” said Dennis, who is a defensive lineman for the Miller football team. “I loved it at first sight.”
Dennis, who competes in the heavyweight or 285-pound class, said there was some adjustment to the conditioning that wrestling requires, but that the techniques and skills he learned in the mat room served him well on the football field.
Fourth-year Miller wrestling coach Tina Luna said Dennis brings a positive attitude to the mat room each day, and that has been a key to his success the last three years. Dennis will be among a large contingent of Corpus Christi ISD wrestlers that will compete at this weekend’s Region IV-5A meet at the Delco Activity Center in Austin.
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“He’s very a very humble athlete, he’s very determined and he listens,” Luna said. “He’s very coachable. Whatever you ask him, he’s going to do it for you.”
During Dennis’ first competitive district meet in 2022, he finished second to graduated King star Jacob Cates and ended up fifth at the regional tournament. He was also a state alternate.
In 2023, Dennis finished third in the district meet and also qualified for the state meet, losing both matches he competed in. That experience, though, has proven as a motivator for Dennis.
He also had the chance earlier this season to compete at the Cy-Fair Invitational at the Berry Center in Cypress, the site of the state meet, to face off against the type of competition he would see at the state meet.
“My mindset going into (the regional meet) is to make it to state no matter what,” Dennis said. “(At state) finish between third and first place. I think it’s going to take a lot of dedication and hard work to get there.”
Corpus Christi ISD Regional Qualifiers
BOYS
106 — Isaiah Deleon, King; Riley Lopez, Ray; Miguel DeAsis, Carroll
113 — Luis Vela, Veterans Memorial; Carlos Guzman, Moody
120 — Carmen Calderone, Veterans Memorial; David Oliva, Ray
126 — Aidan Rodriguez, Veterans Memorial; Jaden Ayala, King
132 — Nathen Chino, King
138 — Davey Ramirez, Veterans Memorial; Karloz Deleon, King
144 — Amaziah Aguirre, Miller; Quinn Barrera, Veterans Memorial; Rafe Ausdemore, King
150 — Josiah Zaragoza, Moody; Bradley O`Donnell, Veterans Memorial; Isaiah Rojas, King
157 — Cole Ramirez, Ray; Jonah Stafford, Miller; Nevin Roque, King
165 — Dominic Dennis, Miller; Antonnio Palomo, Ray; Caden Stringer, King
175 — Alexander Marcotte, Veterans Memorial; Trevyn Hodges, Miller
190 — Roman Nino, Carroll; Jonathan Martinez, King; Kaden Garcia, Veterans Memorial
215 — Antonio Hernandez, Miller
285 — Brayden Dennis, Miller
GIRLS
100 — Abigail Mendoza,Veterans Memorial; Ariana Martinez, Carroll
107 — Trinity Duran, King; Mya Maronen, Veterans Memorial
114 — Genevieve Bellino, Carroll; Tyler Rokosz, Veterans Memorial
120 — Leah Cisneros, Carroll; Xandrea Garza-Hurtado, Miller; Chloe Duncan, King
126 —Rylee Fox, Ray; Jeneca Darnley, Carroll
132 — Cecilia Gonzalez, King; Alora Munguia, Carroll; Lena Cavazos, Veterans Memorial
138 — Alyssa Reyes, Veterans Memorial; Isabella Arevalos, King; Audree Alvarado, Moody
145 — Gabriela Garcia, King; Amaris Villarreal, Moody; Kailyn Venegas, Carroll
152 — Ivanna Reyes, Ray
165 — Savannah Cerda, Carroll; Jena Reyes, Ray
185 — Katelynn Galvan, King; Gladys Gonzalez, Carroll; Lyra Suttle, Ray
235 — Layla Chapa, Moody; Loretta West, Ray; Trista Frank, King
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Miller's Brayden Dennis continues rise in high school wrestling ranks
