Diego Gadea (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
Diego Gadea Salpointe Invitational
Jan. 25-26
The Diego Gadea Salpointe Invitational is named after former Salpointe standout Diego Gadea.
Gadea wrestled at the 160-weight class, and he took home the championship Salpointe Invitational 2010, but he was also suffering from something very painful and very mysterious that most parents, schools and friends do not like to talk about. Diego was diagnosed with childhood depression at age 11 and, even though all measures humanely possible were used to help Diego, he took his own life in June of 2011.
Salpointe changed the name of their yearly invitational to the “Diego Gadea Salpointe Invitational” in an effort to help remember Diego and, perhaps, help other teens who may feel lost.
“It’s really an honor,” his mother Jeannie Gadea told me when the Invitational began. “He had a passion for wrestling and he loved it. The team has been really supportive.”
The results from Friday have been posted and Laveen Cesar Chavez has a slim 134-132.5 lead over Walden Grove. The semifinals for the 14 weight classes are also set:
Manuel and Jeannie Gadea with Walden Grove’s Diego Guerrero from last year. (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
TEAM SCORES
1 Cesar Chavez 134
2 Walden Grove 132.5
3 Cienega 92
4 Campo Verde 81.5
5 Canyon Del Oro 81
5 Gila Ridge 81
7 Horizon 76.5
8 Pueblo 75.5
9 Salpointe 62
10 Catalina Foothills 58
10 Desert View 58
12 Blue Ridge 54.5
13 Empire 41.5
14 San Manuel 33
15 Sahuaro 28
16 Douglas 27
17 Rio Rico 23
18 Flowing Wells 21
19 Nogales 19
20 Catalina 8
21 Coolidge 0
21 Palo Verde 0
INDIVIDUAL SEMIFINAL PAIRINGS
108
Javier Duran of Cesar Chavez
Nathan Gunder of Campo Verde
Brandon Lee of Flowing Wells
Chase Sorenson of Blue Ridge
115
Gabriel Castillo of Walden Grove
Kristopher Sanchez of Cesar Chavez
Ayden Navarro of Gila Ridge
Dyson Navarro of Blue Ridge
122
Gilbert Rodriguez of San Manuel
Cole Hickey of Cienega
Andres Avelar of Cesar Chavez
Damond Lujan of Pueblo
128
Owen Berry of Walden Grove
Trey Trejo of Canyon Del Oro
Julian Rodriguez of San Manuel
Jericho Verduzco of Sahuaro
134
Diego Guerrero of Walden Grove
Mason Comer of Canyon Del Oro
George Poland of Cesar Chavez
Alex Maxson of Horizon
140
Jason Hill of Cienega
Adrian Cruz of Cesar Chavez
Carlos Ramos of Walden Grove
Rene Garcia of Canyon Del Oro
147
Evan Killgore of Walden Grove
Alex Young of Horizon
Carlo Castagnaro of Cienega
Giovanni Meza of Cesar Chavez
154
Samuel Hernandez of Cesar Chavez
Jonathan Lopez of Desert View
Caden Calloway of Campo Verde
Alex Klemm of Empire
162
Scott Kellenberger of Horizon
Sergio Romero of Rio Rico
Zane Mckissick of Canyon Del Oro
Marcos Gamez of Walden Grove
172
Dominique Johnson of Cienega
Conrad Medina of Walden Grove
Raul Moreno of Salpointe Catholic
Justin Rhoades of Gila Ridge
184
Charles Hindley of Pueblo
Alex Galindo of Cesar Chavez
Jayden Fletcher of Campo Verde
Max Zavalza of Salpointe Catholic
197
Erik Orozco of Cesar Chavez
Andrik Valdez of Canyon Del Oro
Ricardo Avelar of Walden Grove
Taylor Deibert of Gila Ridge
222
Jackson Edwards of Walden Grove
Michael Moussa of Catalina Foothills
Rafael Masella of Horizon
Omar Ibanez of Pueblo
287
Ervyn Rivuis of Desert View
Hernan Ortiz of Nogales
Adam Alvarenga of Walden Grove
Gregory Down of Cesar Chavez
FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER!
Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017 and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Andy is the Southern Arizona voting member of the Ed Doherty Award, recognizing the top football player in Arizona, and he was named a Local Hero by the Tucson Weekly for 2016. Contact Andy Morales at
Recommended for you
