The winter season is slated to start on January 18 and the regular season ending on March 5. All AIA sport modifications are required and are not up to each high school to decide. For wrestling, there will be no invitationals or regional tournaments. Teams cannot leave the state to compete in tournaments. In addition, fans will not be allowed at meets until metrics are determined.
Salpointe and Catalina Foothills have opted out of wrestling this year.
LINK: COMPLETE WINTER MODIFICATIONS
Sunnyside brought home its 33rd state title last year by putting up 277.5 points which is the third most in Arizona history. The Blue Devils hold six of the top eight scoring totals including the state record of 282 scored in 2000.
The Blue Devils held off Mountain View 277.5 to 176 to capture the Division II championship held in Prescott Valley. The Blue Devils also captured the D-II championship in 2019 but the team has been moved back up to D-I where the team won the 2018 state title.
Peoria Liberty won the 2019 and 2020 D-I titles so the Lions and Blue Devils are set to collide. Sunnyside returns five state champions and the Lions return two.
Marana and Rincon/UHS will also move up to D-I this winter along with Tucson High. The Mountain Lions remain in D-II and the team looks to make a move after falling to Sunnyside two years in a row. Mountain Lion individual champions Gilbert Rodriguez (120) and Chris Lopez (138) return for their senior seasons.
In D-III action, Sahuarita took second to Yuma 111 to 91.5 last winter and Walden Grove knocked off Yuma the year before. Look for the three programs to battle along with Chino Valley.
Santa Cruz won the D-IV title last year after winning it all in 2019. In all, the Dust Devils have seven team championships dating back to 1977 and the program returns five individual champions from last year including Wyatt Ogle (138) and Hunter Ogle (160).
Girls Wresting is now a team sport. Bisbee sophomore Adacelli Noriega (118) was the first girl from Southern Arizona to win a state title last winter and Canyon del Oro standout Mylei Seigla (130) took second.
All ten state individual champions return on the girl’s side.
Adacelli Noriega of Bisbee the first champion from Southern Arizona pic.twitter.com/Otn5lgEwvs
— Andy Morales (@AndyMorales8) February 16, 2020
2020-2021 TEAMS
GIRLS D-I SECTION III
Buena
Canyon del Oro
Catalina
Cholla
Cienega
Douglas
Empire
Flowing Wells
Marana
Mountain View
Palo Verde
Pueblo
Rincon/UHS
Rio Rico
Sahuarita
Sahuaro
Santa Rita
Sunnyside
Tucson
Walden Grove
BOYS DIVISION I
Marana
Rincon/UHS
Sunnyside
Tucson
BOYS DIVISION II
Buena
Cholla
Cienega
Desert View
Flowing Wells
Ironwood Ridge
Mountain View
Pueblo
Sahuaro
BOYS DIVISION III
Amphitheater
Canyon del Oro
Douglas
Empire
Palo Verde
Rio Rico
Sabino
Sahuarita
Walden Grove
BOYS DIVISION IV
Benson
Catalina
Mica Mountain
San Manuel
Santa Cruz
Santa Rita
St. David
Tombstone
Willcox
RETURNING STATE CHAMPIONS
D-II: Sunnyside
D-IV: Santa Cruz
106: James Williams-Armstrong (Sunnyside) So.
113: Job Lee (Sunnyside) So.
120: Gilbert Rodriguez (Mountain View) Sr.
132: Jaime Rivera (Sunnyside) Jr.
138: Chris Lopez (Mountain View) Sr.
145: Sebastian Robles (Sunnyside) Sr.
160: Fernando Villascusa (Sunnyside) Jr.
113: Davian Guanajuato (Santa Cruz) Sr.
126: Emilio Ysquirre (Santa Cruz) Jr.
138: Wyatt Ogle (Santa Cruz) Jr.
160: Hunter Ogle (Santa Cruz) Sr.
182: Diego Chavez (Santa Cruz) Jr.
285: Christian Contreras (Bisbee) Sr.
118: Adacelli Noriega (Bisbee) So.
GIRLS TOP RETURNERS BY 2019-20 WEIGHT CLASS
101: Tatiana Hernandez (Sunnyside) So.
101: Emily Hernandez (Sahuaro) Jr.
101: Jocelyn Figueroa (Tucson) Sr.
101: Mhikyle Cruz (Buena) Jr.
110: Sophia Gilbert (Canyon Del Oro) So.
110: Destiny Pogue (Pueblo) Jr.
110: Olivia Butler (Buena) So.
110: Destany Ornelas (Marana) Jr.
110: Alyssa Trujillo (Tucson) Sr.
110: Sophia Renteria (Rio Rico) So.
118: Adacelli Noriega (Bisbee) So.
118: Anika Rodriguez (Pueblo) Jr.
118: Jaylynn Bebee (Sahuaro) Jr.
118: Michaella Gladen (Marana) Sr.
118: Brooklyn Kefalas (Rincon/UHS) So.
118: Ashley Castleman (Catalina) Sr.
125: Ayesha Wills (Catalina) Sr.
125: Emily Hibner (Salpointe) So.
125: Lyla Pacheco (Buena) Sr.
125: Candice Pocase (Santa Rita) Sr.
130: Mylei Seigla (Canyon Del Oro) Jr.
130: Camron Tutas (Catalina) Sr.
135: Adara Blackwelder (Flowing Wells) Sr.
135: Gabriella Camacho (Rincon) Jr.
135: Emily Mooney (Mountain View) So.
145: Ysela Gradillas-Flores (Mountain View) Jr.
145: Katelyn Ziss (Buena) Jr.
145: Isabela Smith (Douglas) So.
145: Sharayah Pocase (Santa Rita) Sr.
160: Roxana Martinez (Buena) So.
160: Aztlan Romero (Pueblo) Sr.
160: Jasmine Cota (Tucson) Sr.
185: Ryan Lasure (Rincon/UHS) Sr.
225: Paulina Hurtado (Rincon/UHS) Sr.
BOYS TOP RETURNERS BY 2019-20 WEIGHT CLASS
106: James Williams-Armstrong (Sunnyside) So.
106: Daniel Miranda (Mountain View) So.
106: Daniel Guanajuato (Santa Cruz) Jr.
106: Jayden Rael (Sahuarita) Jr.
106: Aaron Rodarte (Cienega) So.
106: Mason Flores (Marana) Jr.
106: Gerardo Ortiz (Tucson) So.
106: Albert Ambriz (Douglas) Jr.
106: Channing Porter (Walden Grove) So.
106: Matthew O’Brien (Sahuaro) Sr.
106: Troy Farnum (Sabino) So.
113: Job Lee (Sunnyside) So.
113: Davian Guanajuato (Santa Cruz) Sr.
113: Troy Garrick (Ironwood Ridge) So.
113: Justin Fox (Sahuarita) So.
113: Jeremiah Toyota (St David) Jr.
113: Peyton Proper (Marana) So.
113: Andru Gomez (Salpointe Catholic) Jr.
113: Jaden Buchanan (Mountain View) So.
113: Robert Hernandez (Flowing Wells) So.
113: Jasek Lewis (Walden Grove) So.
113: Ryan Cruz (Buena) 22-7, Sr.
120: Gilbert Rodriguez (Mountain View) Sr.
120: James Brown (Sunnyside) Sr.
120: Christian Lopez (Sahuarita) So.
120: Derek Guanajuato (Santa Cruz) So.
120: Kellan Merz (Ironwood Ridge) Jr.
120: Reynaldo Martinez (Tucson) So.
120: Dario Noriega (Bisbee) Jr.
120: Conner Curtis (Benson) So.
120: David Villarreal (Walden Grove) Jr.
126: Emilio Ysquirre (Santa Cruz) Jr.
126: Seth Legros (Mountain View) Sr.
126: Ashton Teo (Ironwood Ridge) Sr.
126: Esteban Carrillo (Walden Grove) So.
126: Antonio Lujan (Tucson) Sr.
126: David Chase (Cienega) Jr.
126: Arnoldo Ruiz (Willcox) Sr.
126: Ricardo Marroquin (Pueblo) Sr.
126: Devin Armstrong (Catalina Foothills) Jr.
126: Porter Hall (Marana) Sr.
132: Jaime Rivera (Sunnyside) Jr.
132: Brandon Paredes (Mountain View) Sr.
132: Kaleb Pool (Tucson) Sr.
132: Cole Hickey (Cienega) Sr.
132: Adrian Parra (Flowing Wells) So.
132: Charles Croci (Canyon Del Oro) So.
132: Dante Smolinski (Benson) Sr.
132: Joaquin Jimenez (Santa Cruz) Sr.
132: David Rojas (Pueblo) Jr.
132: Mike Avelar (Walden Grove) So.
138: Chris Lopez (Mountain View) Sr.
138: Wyatt Ogle (Santa Cruz) Jr.
138: Richard Cunes (Desert View) Jr.
138: Joseph Puckett (Sahuaro) Jr.
138: Brayden Merrill (St David) Jr.
138: Raden Gonzalez (Marana) Sr.
138: Edgar Ortega (Flowing Wells) Sr.
145: Sebastian Robles (Sunnyside) Sr.
145: Austin Scott (Mountain View) Jr.
145: Brent Ward (Ironwood Ridge) Sr.
145: Gabriel Elias (Sahuarita) Sr.
145: Victor Jacobs (Tucson) Sr.
145: Marcus Olivares (Willcox) Jr.
145: TJ Madrid (San Manuel) Sr.
145: Isaiah Puckett (Sahuaro) Jr.
152: Rene Flagoso (Sunnyside) Jr.
152: Braden Peglow (Empire) Jr.
152: Kayvon Pajouyan (Sahuaro) Jr.
152: Chase Richardson (Sahuarita) Sr.
152: Joseph Tinghitella (Canyon del Oro) Sr.
152: Julian Prieto (Desert View) So.
160: Fernando Villascusa (Sunnyside) Jr.
160: Hunter Ogle (Santa Cruz) Sr.
160: Ote Allsup (Willcox) Sr.
160: Ritchie McCormack (Cienega) Jr.
160: Alex Klemm (Empire) Sr.
160: Ritchie McCormack (Cienega) Jr.
160: Austin Pitts (Canyon Del Oro) Sr.
160: Yaya Badiallo (Catalina) Sr.
160: Morgan Schierloh (Sahuaro) Jr.
170: Gabe Levy (Cienega) Sr.
170: Julian Gordin (Mountain View) Jr.
170: Valentino Alire (Ironwood Ridge) Jr.
170: Hector Mendoza (Walden Grove) Sr.
170: Donovan Rodriguez (Canyon Del Oro) Jr.
170: Cristian Pando (Willcox) So.
170: Julian Filip (Sabino) Sr.
170: Jacob Lambert (Empire) Jr.
182: Diego Chavez (Santa Cruz) Jr.
182: Mozes Valenzuela (Pueblo) Sr.
182: Julian Gonzalez (Sunnyside) Sr.
182: Nico Lazo (Amphitheater) Jr.
182: Adrian Romero (San Manuel) Sr.
182: Josh Consavage (Cienega) Jr.
195: Sebastian Adamski (Walden Grove) Sr.
195: Nicholas Williams (Mountain View) Sr.
195: Obed Craft (Sunnyside) Sr.
195: Jesus Contreras (Tucson) Sr.
195: Jacob Lloyd (Cholla) Sr.
195: Levi Pannell (Sahuarita) Jr.
220: Rudy Acedo (Mountain View) Sr.
220: Santiago Miranda III (Tucson) Sr.
220: Aaron Moran (Willcox) 34-11, Sr.
220: Julian Rios (Desert View) Sr.
220: Carlos Gonzalez (Salpointe) Jr.
285: Christian Contreras (Bisbee) Sr.
285: Faustino Chaydez (Santa Cruz) Jr.
285: Wyatt Nelson (Ironwood Ridge) Sr.
285: Omar Estrella (Desert View) Jr.
285: Caesar Lopez (Sahuarita) Jr.
285: Adam Brauer (Sabino) Sr.
285: Faustino Chaydez (Santa Cruz) Jr.
285: Ferris Mueller (Tombstone) Sr.
285: Trevon Ballard (Amphitheater) Sr.
FOLLOW @ANDYMORALES8 ON TWITTER
Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014, he was awarded the Ray McNally Award in 2017, a 2019 AZ Education News award winner and he has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. He was the first in Arizona to write about high school beach volleyball and high school girls wrestling. 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. Andy was named an Honorary Flowing Wells Caballero in 2019 and he is a member of the Amphi COVID-19 Blue Ribbon Committee. Contact Andy Morales at amoralesmytucson@yahoo.com
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