In the same week Sunnyside senior wrestler Audrey Jimenez was recognized again as the top high school female wrestler pound-for-pound in the nation, she earned a bronze medal at the Gran Prix of Spain event Saturday representing Team USA.
Jimenez, competing at 50 kg, was one of six senior national team members for Team USA competing in Madrid, Spain.
She earned a bronze medal on Saturday in the freestyle competition going 2-1 with her lone loss a 10-9 decision to Jacqueline Mollocana of Ecuador.
Mollocana is 12 years Jimenez’s senior at 29, and she has competed internationally since 2017.
The latest high school wrestler rankings for the 2022-23 school year were released Friday by National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling. The previous rankings came out in May.
Jimenez remains as the No. 1 wrestler overall and at 106 pounds.
POUND-FOR-POUND
1. Audrey Jimenez, Senior, Sunnyside (1 at 106), 1 pound-for-pound last time in May
2. Shelby Moore, Graduated, Buckley, Wash., White River (1 at 127), 2 last time
3. Destiny Rodriguez, Graduated, West Linn, Ore., West Linn (1 at 152), 3 last time
4. Sabrina Nauss, Senior, Brighton, Mich., Brighton (1 at 180), 4 last time
5. Jasmine Robinson, Senior, Allen, Texas (2 at 152), 5 last time
106 POUNDS
1. Audrey Jimenez, Senior, Sunnyside (1 at 106)
2. Anaya Falcon, Senior, Yorba Linda, Calif., Walnut (2 at 106)
3. Paige Morales, Graduated, Clovis, Calif.. Central (3 at 106)
4. Julianna Ocampo, Junior, Elhart, Ind., New Haven (4 at 106)
5. Heather Crull, Junior, Modoc, Ind., Northeastern (5 at 106)
Elizabeth Valenzuela-Smith, a Tucsonan who was an eighth grader last year at Valiant College Prep, ranks 24th in the nation at 100 pounds.
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He is a former Arizona Daily Star beat reporter for the Arizona basketball team, including when the Wildcats won the 1996-97 NCAA title. He has also written articles for CollegeAD.com, Bleacher Report, Lindy’s Sports, TucsonCitizen.com, The Arizona Republic, Sporting News and Baseball America, among many other publications. He has also authored the book “The Highest Form of Living”, which is available at Amazon. He became an educator seven years ago and is presently a special education teacher at his alma mater Sunnyside High School.
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