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Anthony Leon and Paul Vasquez move up the career championship ladder; Sunnyside sweeps and Sahuarita wins again

By Andy Morales

Posted on February 22, 2026

Sahuarita. (Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson)

Sunnyside head coach Anthony Leon earned his 10th state championship since 2013 and his ninth in a row, putting him past legendary Blue Devil coach Don Klostreich in Sunnyside history and in Arizona history. Former Sunnyside head coach (current Marana Mountain View) Bobby DeBerry leads the state with 15. By comparison, Holbrook and Winslow have 11 state championships to come in second to the 39 the Blue Devils have. Former Payson head coach Dennis Pirch had 10 from 1980-2000.

The Mustangs picked up their fifth straight championship by a wide 239-147 lead over ALA-Gilbert North it what can be described as a ”reload.” Head coach Paul Vasquez was named the Arizona Coach of the Year by his peers before the championship matches got underway and he earned his fifth state championship when the night was over and the mats were being rolled away.

Vasquez passed the four his father, Tim Berrier, earned at Ironwood Ridge and he matched the five earned by former Sunnyside head coach Richard Sanchez. Only Klostreich (9), Leon (10) and DeBerry (15) have more in Southern Arizona.

A very special reunion took place during the AIA State Wrestling Finals, on Saturday. Michael Rodriguez returned home from a recent deployment just in time to surprise his son, also named Michael, a sophomore wrestler at Empire High School, who placed 6th in his weight class.… pic.twitter.com/gMYBsaWGhv

— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) February 22, 2026

**State Record** Congrats to Owen Proper on becoming Arizona’s All-Time wins leader in wrestling!! With today’s wins, Proper now has 255 victories, passing Coolidge’s Eric Garcia’s record of 253 set between 2004-2007. #tigerpride #fightformarana #mhstigers #maranaschools pic.twitter.com/ktMnEq20fX

— Marana Athletics (@MaranaAthletics) February 22, 2026

BOYS DIVISION I TEAM SCORES
1 Sunnyside 226
8 Marana 90
16 Desert View 39.5
32 Rincon/University 4

D-I Boys: Anthony Leon earned his 10th state championship #azpreps365 https://t.co/ex1VuvGKaW

— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) February 22, 2026

BOYS DIVISION II TEAM SCORES
1 Canyon View 272.5
3 Marana Mountain View 139.5
4 Cienega 138.5
5 Flowing Wells 109.5
6 Buena 108
9 Pueblo 68.5
29 Canyon del Oro 10
39 Catalina Foothills 3
43 Cholla 0

BOYS DIVISION III TEAM SCORES
1 Sahuarita 239
2 ALA Gilbert North 147
3 Crismon 135.5
5 Salpointe 105
11 Mica Mountain 51
14 Walden Grove 38.5
15 Sahuaro 35.5
21 Empire 23.5
35 Amphitheater 8.5
36 Ironwood Ridge 8
38 Sabino 6
44 Douglas 0
44 Rio Rico High 0

D-III Boys: Sahuarita's Paul Vasquez named Arizona Coach of the Year #azpreps365 https://t.co/qII2Xvn9S4

— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) February 22, 2026

BOYS DIVISION IV TEAM SCORES
1 Morenci 214.5
2 St. Johns 169.5
3 Santa Cruz Valley 163.5
20 Benson 25
21 Tombstone 24.5
26 San Manuel 19.5
28 St. Augustine 16.5
29 Willcox 16
47 Andrada Polytechnic 0
47 Bisbee 0
47 Catalina 0
47 Palo Verde 0
47 St. David 0
47 Gregory School 0

GIRLS DIVISION I TEAM SCORES
1 Sunnyside 126.5
9 Mountain View 54
12 Marana 48.5
16 Cienega 40
22 Pueblo 29
25 Canyon del Oro 22
33 Buena 17.5
59 Ironwood Ridge 2

Division I girls state wrestling: Singular focus pushes wrestlers to titles #azpreps365 https://t.co/pBuX2lNbpo

— AZPreps365 (@AZPreps365) February 22, 2026

GIRLS DIVISION II TEAM SCORES
1 Crismon 154
2 Somerton 105.5
3 Morenci 70
9 Mica Mountain 43
16 Sahuarita 32.5
19 Rio Rico 30
19 Walden Grove 30
34 Salpointe 18.5
40 Sahuaro 11
40 Tombstone 11
52 Benson 5.5
52 Catalina Foothills 5.5
55 Empire 4
59 Amphitheater 3
59 Willcox 3
72 St David 0

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONS AND MEDALISTS

BOYS INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS
D-I 106: Jack Thrush, Fr. Sunnyside 38-5
D-I 113: Malik Hoskins, So. Sunnyside 33-2
D-I 150: Xavier Chavez, Jr. Sunnyside 20-5 (3X)
D-II 106: Alejandro De La Rosa, Fr. Flowing Wells 22-1
D-II 165: Jozeph Smith, Sr. Pueblo 61-2 (2X)
D-II 215: Adrian Berryhill, Sr. Cienega 51-6
D-II 285: Andrei Davis-Lopez, Sr. Cienega 47-5
D-III 106: Landon Edwards, So. Mica Mountain 46-8
D-III 126: Brett Bates, Sr. Walden Grove 58-0
D-III 132: Sebastian Serrano, Sr. Sahuarita 44-2 (2X)
D-III 144: James Buck III, Sr. Sahuarita 53-5
D-III 157: Marcus Killgore, So. Sahuarita 57-0 (2X)
D-III 165: Sergio Macias, Jr. Sahuarita 50-4
D-III 175: Nathaniel Gallardo, Jr. Sahuarita 59-2
D-III 215: Joseph Figueroa, Sr. Salpointe 51-4

GIRLS INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONS
D-I 114: Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith, Jr. Pueblo 45-1 (3X)
D-I 138: Jaylean Alfaro, Sr. Sunnyside 36-2
D-I 235: Daesiah Varner, Jr. Cienega 36-0 (3X)
D-II 145: Isabella SantaMaria, Jr. Walden Grove 14-1 (2X)
D-II 235 Jessence Octavio-Callejo, Sr. Rio Rico 25-6

BOYS SECOND PLACE
D-I 120: Francisco Miranda, Sr. Sunnyside 30-6
D-I 132: Isaac Moore, Sr. Marana 57-2
D-I 144: Carmine Cruz, Jr. Sunnyside 36-6
D-I 215: Lucas Mata, Sr. Sunnyside 31-7
D-I 285: Zayne Candelaria, Sr. Sunnyside 39-4
D-II 113: Owen Ostroski, So. Mountain View 44-10
D-II 120: Josiah Buchanan, Sr. Mountain View 33-5
D-II 126: Henry Ofeciar, Sr. Mountain View 16-4
D-II 132: Seferino De La Rosa, Sr. Flowing Wells 24-2
D-II 138: Cashton Spruce, So. Cienega 26-5
D-II 215: Elias Freig, Sr. Flowing Wells 47-10
D-III 113: Derek Wade, So. Sahuarita 40-10
D-III 157: Christian Marsh, Sr. Sahuaro 38-5
D-IV 120: Wyatt Eddy, Sr. Tombstone 59-6

GIRLS SECOND PLACE
D-I 126: Riella Garza, Fr. Sunnyside 50-7
D-I 165: Alezandra Robles, Sr. Sunnyside 37-5
D-II 100: Laila Beltran, Sr. Mica Mountain 40-8
D-II 235: Avery Trujillo, Jr. Mica Mountain 27-13

BOYS THIRD PLACE
D-I 106: Leland Frost, So. Marana 68-1
D-I 115: Xander Poulin, Fr. Marana 59-11
D-I 128: Damien Balderrama, So. Sunnyside 29-7
D-I 144: Owen Proper, Sr. Marana 69-1
D-I 175: Yassael Gonzalez, Sr. Sunnyside 34-7
D-II 113: Luke Ferguson, So. Cienega 53-11
D-II 120: Brock Santa Maria, Sr. Buena 40-6
D-II 138: Sean Brown, Sr. Buena 47-11
D-II 144: Jayden Berry, Sr. Cienega 37-15
D-II 157: Marcos Gradillas, Jr. Mountain View 41-10
D-II 165: Hudson Haymore, Sr. Buena 35-21
D-II 190: Joshua Petty, Sr. Flowing Wells 53-3
D-III 106: Evan Cher, Fr. Sahuarita 43-11
D-III 138: Benjamin Higgins, So. Salpointe 32-5
D-III 150: Ryler Jones, So. Salpointe 44-12
D-III 285: Carloas Jones, Jr. Salpointe 45-10

GIRLS THIRD PLACE
D-I 100: Isela Villalobos, Sr. Sunnyside 44-4
D-I 132: Siana Carabeo, Sr. Mountain View 39-11
D-I 138: Taylor Wolf, Sr. Canyon del Oro 44-7
D-I 145: Hayden Smith, Sr. Mountain View 39-5
D-I 152: Jazlene Wyatt, Sr. Sunnyside 27-7

BOYS FOURTH PLACE
D-I 128: Manuel Granillo, Sr. Desert View 38-10
D-II 126: Dillon Herd, So. Cienega 29-15
D-II 150: Kawika Freeman, Fr. Buena 52-11
D-II 190: Landon Weaver, So. Mountain View 30-18
D-II 285: Anthony Trujillo, Sr. Pueblo 25-8
D-III 106: Myles Lux, So. Salpointe 42-19
D-III 126: Richard Tanori, Jr. Sahuarita 46-13
D-III 138: Jackson Arnau, Jr. Mica Mountain 40-21
D-III 150: Orion Johnsen, Jr. Sahuarita 39-13
D-IV: 175: Alex Martinez, Sr. St. Augustine 36-14

GIRLS FOURTH PLACE
D-I 120: Kelty Kynaston, So. Buena 41-5
D-I 132: Roxi Singer, Sr. Marana 58-5
D-II 114: Iliana Rodriguez, Fr. Sahuarita 36-13

BOYS FIFTH PLACE
D-138: Isaiah Landavaso, Fr. Sunnyside 26-4
D-II 106: Zayne Candelaria, Sr. Sunnyside 39-4
D-II 138: Devon Haver, Sr. Mountain View 36-9
D-II 175: David Clawson, Jr. Buena 29-6
D-II 285: Jaylen Ward, Jr. Buena 47-8
D-III 138: Julian Risco, Fr. Sahuarita 13-10
D-III 165: Isaac Lugo, Sr. Sahuaro 39-9
D-IV 144: Kolttin Deskins, Jr. Benson 50-7

GIRLS FIFTH PLACE
D-I 107: Daelyn Smead, Sr. Marana 52-10
D-II 114: Isabel Rocas, So. Tombstone 38-17
D-II 154: Amaris Aguilar, Sr. Sahuarita 34-10

BOYS SIXTH PLACE
D-II 120: Markos Gomez, Jr. Pueblo 39-26
D-II 190: Gabriel Ruiz, Sr. Pueblo 42-13
D-III 120: Michael Rodriguez, So. Empire 34-19
D-III 190: William Thwaits, Sr. Sahuarita 51-7
D-IV: 113: Jose Torres, So. San Manuel 27-8
D-IV 150: Kaleb Cooke, Jr. Willcox 47-11
D-IV 157: Derek Anaya, Jr. San Manuel 41-9
D-IV 215: Tyson Kilpatrick, Jr. Benson 50-11

GIRLS SIXTH PLACE
D-I 114: Malina Moore, So. Marana 56-13
D-II 120: Zulay Osuna, Jr. Salpointe 35-10
D-II 138: Karlie Schneider, Sr. Sahuaro 37-9

GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

Mica Mountain
2025: D-II (Chris Patterson)

Sunnyside
2025: D-I (William Olivas)
2026: D-I (William Olivas)

BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

Sunnyside (39)
1979: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1981: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1982: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1983: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1984: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1985: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1986: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1987: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1988: 5A (Don Klostreich)
1990: 4A (Richard Sanchez)
1991: 4A (Richard Sanchez)
1992: 4A (Richard Sanchez)
1993: 4A (Richard Sanchez)
1994: 4A (Richard Sanchez)
1996: 5A (Bobby DeBerry)
1998: 5A (Bobby DeBerry)
1999: 5A (Bobby DeBerry)
2000: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2001: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2002: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2003: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2004: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2005: 4A (Bobby DeBerry)
2006: 5A-II (Bobby DeBerry)
2007: 5A-II (Bobby DeBerry)
2008: 5A-II (Bobby DeBerry)
2009: 5A-II (Bobby DeBerry)
2010: 5A-II (Bobby DeBerry)
2011: D-I (Bobby DeBerry)
2013: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2018: D-! (Anthony Leon)
2019: D-II (Anthony Leon)
2020: D-II (Anthony Leon)
2021: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2022: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2023: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2024: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2025: D-I (Anthony Leon)
2025: D-I (Anthony Leon)