Girls’ wrestling evolving: Basha is state’s 1st team champion
It’s been a surprisingly short journey, as girls’ high school wrestling in Arizona has reached the goal the sport set for itself several years ago: an opportunity to win a … Read More
It’s been a surprisingly short journey, as girls’ high school wrestling in Arizona has reached the goal the sport set for itself several years ago: an opportunity to win a … Read More
With any luck, those playing winter sports in the schools in the Phoenix Union High School District may not have to wear masks during competition. That’s because the PUHSD just … Read More
For high school students who play a winter sport, the other shoe has finally dropped. After several delays to the start of their season, the long-awaited worst-case scenario has finally … Read More
This time, both sides of the state will get to claim rights to the best high school girl athlete of the 2019-20 season. Sierra Thrun, a wrestler at Corona del … Read More
It was assumed several years ago that girls wrestling would have to take a lot of baby steps as it began on the road to acceptance as a recognized high … Read More
For the last decade, the Sunnyside High School wrestling teams have used the prestigious Flowing Wells Invitational, the last major tournament of the season, to help gauge where the Blue … Read More
Beginning tomorrow, Alex Bambic will be on the largest stage in wrestling. But the Desert Vista High School grappler has been there before, so it’s only slightly intimidating. Bambic is … Read More
A couple of points was all it took to let Ironwood Ridge HS slip into the No. 1 seed for Saturday’s 5A-II high school State Wrestling Team Tournament. Sunnyside HS … Read More
Take a short drive to Tim’s Toyota and get your money’s worth. That might be a good slogan for a car commercial. But last weekend, it was all about wrestling. … Read More
Wrestling success in the 4A state tournament this year is a study in contrasts. Cottonwood Mingus HS flexed its muscle again this season and so far has done the expected … Read More
How many times do we see a wrestling match come down to the battle of the heavyweights to determine the outcome? Plenty, but it’s exciting every time! Chris Brown won … Read More
Although it was the final match of the day that decided the team winner at the Larry Faust Wrestling Invitational, it was the match preceding the finale that was perhaps the best of the tournament.
Jake Smith from Basha HS held on for a double-overtime victory over Kalu Ukaku in the 215 lb. event to set the stage for the final match between William Poehle of Chandler HS and Gahrrett Kidd of Red Mountain HS. Since Chandler was just a slim point-and-a-half ahead of Red Moutain as the 285 lb. competition began, that match would decide the tournament champion.
Poehle won 13-9 and Chandler claimed the victory, a particularly sweet win since they came close last year, when the tournament was called the McClintock Invitational, but finished in third place. The tournament was renamed in honor of the long-time wrestling coach at McClintock who passed away earlier this year.
Chandler won with 195 points, followed by Red Mountain (188.5), Sandra Day O’Connor HS (179), Basha HS (162.5), and Mountain Pointe HS (143).
Other individual winners: Vidal Max Mejia, Chandler HS (112 lb.); Hector Calderon, Maryvale HS (125); Shane McGough, Desert Mountain HS (130); and Reyes Cortez, Maryvale HS (140). McGough was named the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler in the 103-140 lb. division and Heath Boers of Williams Field HS, wrestling in the 160 lb. weight class, was Outstanding Wrestler in for 145-and-heavier.
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