2023-24 Wrestling

Sunnyside wrestling dynasty sends two more to college ranks — Rivera & Archuleta



The Sunnyside wrestling dynasty does not only include 37 state team championships — including a current string of seven straight under coach Anthony Leon — it also includes being the state’s top program that develops college-level wrestlers.

The signing Friday of two-time state champion Cristian Rivera with the Air Force Academy and 2024 state champ Sean Archuleta with Arizona Christian gives the Blue Devils 16 wrestlers who have advanced to the college ranks from when Roman Bravo-Young signed with Penn State in 2018.

Sunnyside has at least two more on the way with Class of 2025 champions Sergio Vega committed to Cornell and Carlos Stanton to Iowa State.

Rivera’s brother Jaime advanced to West Point Academy in 2022. Another brother, Gio, will be a freshman at Sunnyside in the upcoming school year.

CURRENT LIST OF SUNNYSIDE WRESTLERS ADVANCING TO COLLEGE WRESTLING

2018: Roman Bravo-Young – Penn State (Big10)

2019: Anthony Echemendia – Ohio St/Iowa State

2019: Rico Robles – Arizona Christian (NAIA)

2020: Jesse Ybarra – Iowa (Big10)

2021: Sebastian Robles – Iowa (Big10)

2022: Jaime Rivera Jr – West Point (EIWA/Ivy League)

2022: Rene Fragoso – ASU (Pac12)

2022: Tatiana Hernandez – Northern Iowa Area Community College

2022: Fernando Villaescusa Jr – Iowa State (Big12) (Graduated from Gilbert High School)

2023: Michael Avelar – Air Force Academy (Big12)

2023: James Armstrong Jr – Grandview/Arizona Christian (NAIA)

2023: Job Lee – Northwest Kansas Technical Institute (NAIA)

2024: Audrey Jimenez – Lehigh (EIWA)

2024: Cristian Rivera – Air Force Academy (Big 12)

2024: Rene Bostic – Northwest Kansas Technical Institute (NAIA)

2024: Sean Archuleta – Arizona Christian (NAIA)

COMMITS

2025: Sergio Vega – Cornell (Ivy League)

2025: Carlos Stanton – Iowa State (Big 12)

SUNNYSIDE DYNASTY DATA (CREDIT: JAVIER MORALES/ALLSPORTSTUCSON.COM)

Sunnyside team state championships

Sunnyside coach Anthony Leon with four-time state champ Audrey Jimenez (Sunnyside photo)

State titles by coach:

Robert DeBerry: 15

Don Klostreich: 9

Anthony Leon: 8 (current)

Richard Sanchez: 5

Team titles by year:

1979 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1981 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1982 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1983 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1984 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1985 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1986 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1987 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1988 Sunnyside (Don Klostreich)

1990 Sunnyside (Richard Sanchez)

1991 Sunnyside (Richard Sanchez)

1992 Sunnyside (Richard Sanchez)

1993 Sunnyside (Richard Sanchez)

1994 Sunnyside (Richard Sanchez)

Sunnyside’s Bobby DeBerry coached a record 15 championships from 1996 to 2011. Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com Photo.

1996 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

1998 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

1999 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2000 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2001 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2002 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2003 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2004 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2005 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2006 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2007 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2008 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2009 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2010 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2011 Sunnyside (Bobby DeBerry)

2013 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2018 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2019 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2020 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2021 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2022 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2023 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

2024 Sunnyside (Anthony Leon)

Sunnyside’s four-time state champions

2002-05 Nick Gallick 

2002-05 Matt Lopez 

2007-07 Mike Moreno 

2003-07 Kyle DeBerry 

2008-11 Kory DeBerry 

2015-18 Roman Bravo-Young 

2020-23 James Armstrong Jr.

2021-24 Audrey Jimenez

Roman Bravo-Young (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

Sunnyside’s individual state champions 

1969

Fred Gomez, 112 pounds

Roger Ball, 145 pounds

1970

Joe Gomez, 123 pounds

1973

George Larrinaga, 135 pounds

1974

Robert Parra, 105 pounds

Dan Palma, 112 pounds

Gilbert Duran, 126 pounds

1975

Raul Samorano, heavyweight

1976

Vince Guerra, 98 pounds

Joe Solorio, 119 pounds

1977

Vince Guerra, 105 pounds

1979

Lupe Peralta, 112 pounds

Fred Cota, 129 pounds

Eddie Urbano, 138 pounds

Eddie Urbano

1980 

Eddie Urbano, 138 pounds

1982

Mike Ortega, 158 pounds

1983

Fernando Cota, 108 pounds

Rene Nunez, 115 pounds

Fabian Cota, 129 pounds

John Bracy, heavyweight

1984

Mike Moreno, 101 pounds

George Soto, 115 pounds

Rene Nunez, 122 pounds

Tommy Ortiz, 129 pounds

Fabian Cota, 135 pounds

John Bracy, heavyweight

1985

Rudy Alameda, 101 pounds

Alfonso Cruz, 108 pounds

Fausto Cota, 115 pounds

George Soto, 129 pounds

Tommy Ortiz, 148 pounds

Manny Ruiz, heavyweight

Tommy Ortiz

1986

Alfonso Cruz, 108 pounds

Fausto Cota, 115 pounds

Danny Gee, 122 pounds

1987

Fausto Cota, 119 pounds

Raul Chavez, 132 pounds

Mike Cripe, 138 pounds

1988

Cesar Ruiz, 119 pounds

Mark Mejia, 132 pounds

Mike Cripe, 138 pounds

Sherman Moore, 167 pounds

1989

Chris Garcia, 112 pounds

Mark Mejia, 140 pounds

1990

Rene Sanchez, 119 pounds

Micah Fritzinger, 125 pounds

Jose Lopez, 152 pounds

1991

Eric Toraya, 103 pounds

Rene Sanchez, 125 pounds

Micah Fritzinger, 130 pounds

Pey Castillo, 140 pounds

1992

Danny Vega, 103 pounds

Eric Toraya, 112 pounds

Jesus Valdez, 189 pounds

1993

Marco Vasquez, 103 pounds

Danny Vega, 112 pounds

Sergio Lujan, 130 pounds

Joe Moore, 152 pounds

Dago Soto, 171 pounds

1994

Marco Vasquez, 103 pounds

Danny Vega, 112 pounds

Joe Moore, 160 pounds

Danny Vega

1995

Marco Vasquez, 103 pounds

Brian Tellez, 112 pounds

1996

Evan Larkin, 103 pounds

Andy Huggins, heavyweight

1997

Eric Larkin, 125 pounds

Andy Huggins, 215 pounds

1998

Willie Bravo, 103 pounds

Ruben Coronado, 112 pounds

Evan Larkin, 119 pounds

Romego Young, 125 pounds

Eric Larkin, 140 pounds

1999

Willie Bravo, 112 pounds

Romego Young, 119 pounds

David Rivera, 125 pounds

Evan Larkin, 130 pounds

2000

Nate Gallick, 119 pounds

Christopher Bravo, 130 pounds

Seabrook Bizzle, 135 pounds

Mike Sallas, 140 pounds

Antonio Sepulveda, 145 pounds

David Coronado, 189 pounds

Matt Montoya, 215 pounds

2001

Eugene Garza, 119 pounds

Nate Gallick, 125 pounds

Toribio Lujan, 160 pounds

David Coronado, 189 pounds

Anthony Rodriguez, 215 pounds

2002

Nick Gallick, 103 pounds

Matt Lopez, 112 pounds

Ricardo Ramirez, 119 pounds

Hector Daza, 125 pounds

Eugene Garza, 130 pounds

Ramses Durazo, 152 pounds

2003

Nick Gallick, 103 pounds

Matt Lopez, 125 pounds

Jaime Martinez, 275 pounds

2004

Johnny Lopez, 103 pounds

Nick Gallick, 119 pounds

Kyle DeBerry, 130 pounds

Eddie Garza, 135 pounds

Matt Lopez, 140 pounds

Ruben “Huero” Quintana, 189 pounds

2005

Johnny Lopez, 103 pounds

Nick Gallick, 125 pounds

Rene Torres, 135 pounds

Kyle DeBerry, 140 pounds

Matt Lopez, 152 pounds

2006

Mike Moreno, 119 pounds

Rene Torres, 140 pounds

Kyle DeBerry, 152 poounds

2007

Paul Garza, 119 pounds

Steven Moreno, 125 pounds

Mike Moreno, 130 pounds

Nathan Vorel, 135 pounds

Raymond Pina, 152 pounds

Kyle DeBerry, 160 pounds

Jerry Ochoa, 171 pounds

Kyle DeBerry

2008

Lucio Murillo, 103 pounds

Paul Garza, 119 pounds

Mike Moreno, 125 pounds

Kory DeBerry, 135 pounds

Raymond Pina, 171 pounds

Anthony Pike, 285 pounds

2009

Lucio Murillo, 119 pounds

Kory DeBerry, 140 pounds

Anthony Pike, 189 pounds

2010

Raul Moraga, 127 pounds

Justin Steinebach, 142 pounds

Kory DeBerry, 147 pounds

Manny Aranda, 154 pounds

Diego Bravo, 217 pounds

William Espinoza, 287 pounds

2011

Kory DeBerry, 152 pounds

Cedric Gonzalez, 171 pounds

2013

Juaquin Olivas, 113 pounds

William Olivas, 126 pounds

Gabe Gonzales, 195 pounds

2014

Juaquin Olivas, 120 pounds

William Olivas, 126 pounds

Gabe Gonzales, 195 pounds

2015

Roman Bravo-Young, 106 pounds

Angel Laguna, 120 pounds

Juaquin Olivas, 132 pounds

2016

Roman Bravo-Young, 120 pounds

David Salazar III, 126 pounds

Marco Frias, 170 pounds

Jesse Ybarra (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

2017

Jesse Ybarra, 106 pounds

Manny Garcia, 113 pounds

Roman Bravo-Young, 132 pounds

David Salazar III, 145 pounds

2018

Jesse Ybarra, 113 pounds

Juan Manuel-Garcia, 120 pounds

Vincent Loaiza, 126 pounds

Roman Bravo-Young, 132 pounds

2019

James Brown, 113 pounds

Jaime Rivera, 120 pounds

Rico Robles, 138 pounds

Anthony Echemendia, 152 pounds

Elijah Wyatt, 182 pounds

2020

James Armstrong, 106 pounds

Job Lee, 113 pounds

Jesse Ybarra, 126 pounds

Jaime Rivera, 132 pounds

Sebastian Robles, 145 pounds

Fernando Villascusa, 160 pounds

2021

Audrey Jimenez, 113 pounds (girls champ)

James Armstrong, 113 pounds

Sebastian Robles, 160 pounds

Rene Fragoso, 182 pounds

2022

Audrey Jimenez, 106 pounds (girls champ)

Sergio Vega, 113 pounds

James Armstrong, 120 pounds

Carlos Stanton, 126 pounds

Cristian Rivera, 132 pounds

Jaime Rivera, 150 pounds

Job Lee, 157 pounds

Michael Avelar, 165 pounds

Rene Fragoso, 190 pounds

Audrey Jimenez when she was a freshman (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)

2023

Audrey Jimenez, 114 pounds (girls champion)

James Armstrong, 120 pounds

Sergio Vega, 126 pounds

Carlos Stanton, 132 pounds

Cristian Rivera, 144 pounds

Job Lee, 157 pounds

Mike Avelar, 165 pounds

Nicholas Pina, 175 pounds

2024

Audrey Jimenez, 106 pounds (boys champion)

Sean Archuleta, 126 pounds

Sergio Vega, 144 pounds

Carlos Stanton, 150 pounds

Victor Gonzalez, 157 pounds

Nicholas Pina, 165 pounds

Lucas Mata, 190 pounds

Zayne Candelaria, 285 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 five years ago and is presently a special education teacher at Gallego Fine Arts Intermediate in the Sunnyside Unified School District.

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