Vitals: Lemoore High

Need to know: Led the Tigers to a fourth-place finish at the CIF State Wrestling Championships with seven qualifiers. Coached his first state champion in 152-pounder Nick Sierra. Also directed Lemoore to a ninth-place finish at state in 2009.

Up next: Plans to return for a third season as Lemoore’s coach armed with five returning state qualifiers.

Marcio Botelho is 10 years removed from a high school wrestling career that culminated with his victory in the 215-pound division at the CIF State Championships.

But it’s hard to tell Botelho is a coach these days and not an active competitor the way he instructs his wrestlers at Lemoore High.

Take Nick Sierra’s 6-4 victory over Del Oro’s Jesse Stafford for the 152-pound state title, the first wrestler Botelho has helped guide to California gold in his two years at the helm of his alma mater.

There was Botelho standing to the side of the elevated stage inside Bakersfield’s Rabobank Arena shooting moves on assistant coach Herman Cabrera, as if he were still wrestling.

“There was nothing like looking over at Marcio trying to double-leg our assistant,” Sierra said with a laugh about Botelho, The Bee’s Wrestling Coach of the Year. “I guess it’s what he wanted me to do. He really gets into our matches. He got too into that one.”

In addition to Sierra, Lemoore had three other state medalists in 103-pounder Dillon Rocha (fifth), 125-pounder Isaiah Martinez (third) and 160-pounder Jacob Pendleton (sixth) to finish an unexpected fourth with 94 points as a team at the March 5-6 state meet. That’s tied for the best state finish in Lemoore history with the Botelho-led team in 2000.

Each medal-winning performance was punctuated by a bear hug from Botelho, who is easily one of the more intense and excitable coaches around.

“Any time I am down there [coaching,] my emotions take over,” said Botelho, who was also an All-American wrestler at Fresno State. “It’s hard to hold back when you are excited about a kid wrestling his butt off. For me, it’s just the passion I have for wrestling. I absolutely love what I do.”

Botelho also loves where he coaches.

“I knew growing up, even my freshman and sophomore years in high school, that this was my calling,” Botelho said. “My goal was to come back and coach at Lemoore High School. I’m living the dream.”

The Tigers improved on their ninth-place finish at state in 2009 by qualifying a school-best seven wrestlers this past season. And with five of those state qualifiers — Rocha, Martinez, Pendleton, 112-pounder Silverio Esparza and 285-pounder Steven Wood — scheduled to return, Botelho said his team is in position to make a run at the state title next season.

“Our team was on a mission,” Botelho said. “We were going out there to compete for the state championship. We fell short of that, but we were happy with what we did and where we’re at for next year and years to come. Hopefully, we set the pace for something to strive for.”