It's no longer a surprise to see Liberty High grappling for wrestling supremacy.

Back in 2015 the Lions picked up their first piece of hardware - a D2 runner-up trophy. The next year they won the D2 title. They settled for third in 2017 and were back as runner-up in 2018. 

And last year they moved up to Division 1. Brought  home a second championship. Brace yourself because title No. 3 is a good bet this week at the D1 championships at Finley Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. The meet begins on Thursday at 10 a.m. with several sessions an finishing with the semifinals. It resumes Friday with the finals set to start at approximately 7:30 p.m.

Liberty's bid for a second consecutive D1 crown is bolstered by the fact it returns eight state placers from last season. In the prestigious Flowing Wells Invitational a month ago the Lions placed 12 of 14 wrestlers led by champions Zander Phaturos (113) and Kamyn Stonebreaker (160). At last week's sectional at Pinnacle High, Liberty qualified all 14 wrestlers and won eight weight classes. Liberty did not have an individual champion last year, but look to rectify that with the experience it returns.

Teams also performing well at the four sectionals last week: Cibola, runner-up to Liberty in Section 2, qualified 13 with three section champs. Section 1 champ Perry and Hamilton; Section 3 champ Desert Vista with 12 qualifiers and five section champs and Section 4 champ Mesa Mountain View with 14 qualifiers and seven section champs.  

The top four seeds from each weight class for this week's state meet:

106 - 1. Joey Jarman, Mesa. 2. Jayson Flener, Liberty. 3. Logan Smith, Desert Vista. 4. Colin Ugalde, Hamilton. 113 -1. John Jarman, Mesa. 2. Zander Phaturos, Liberty. 3. Porter Ray, Desert Ridge. 4. Kayden Galameau, Basha. 120- 1. Zach Espalin, Chandler. 2. Anthony Gonzales, Corona del Sol. 3. Gabe Ortiz, MTV. 4. Roman Provenzano, Liberty. 126 - 1. Juan Sierra, Cibola. 2. Armando Ybarra, MTV. 3. Bryce Bernard, Valley Vista. 4. Isaiah Valenzuela, Hamilton. 132 - 1. Andres Avelart, Cesar Chavez. 2. Andrew Correa, Liberty. 3. Mourece Ramirez, Desert Vista. 4. Kaleb Pool, Tucson. 138 - 1. Tyler Sauter, Liberty. 2. Dalton Loyden, Chandler. 3. Braxton, Luke, MTV. 4. Domenic Hurtado, Desert Vista. 145 - 1. Anthony Morales, Kofa. 2. Shane Aguarin, Corona del Sol. 3. Adam Booth, MTV. 4. Victor Jacobs, Tucson. 152 - 1. Alfonso Martinez, Desert Vista. 2. Connor Blakeman, Red Mountain. 3. Jeordon Mellor, Cibola. 4. Jacob Kimling, Perry. 160 - 1. Kamyn Stonebreaker, Liberty. 2. Giovanni Meza, Cesar Chavez, 3. Caleb Milnes, Perry. 4. Justin Prigge, Queen Creek. 170 - 1. Preston Cameau, Desert Vista. 2. Ikaika Maldonado, Perry. 3. Dallin Larson, MTV. 4. Nicholas Magri, Liberty. 182 - 1. Matthew Stevenson, Liberty. 2. Makai Obregon, Valley Vista. 3. Wayne Dunn, MTV. 4. Thomas Derr, Brophy. 195 - 1. Kimball Begay, MTV. 2. Ryan Castillo, Hamilton, 3. Liam Hoffmeyer, Cibola. 4. Matthew Monson, Desert Ridge. 220 - 1. Luke Padwe, Pinnacle. 2. Nathanial Deasey, Chandler. 3. David Palosika, Mountain Pointe. 4. William Durbin, Dobson. 285 - 1. Dante Smith, Desert Ridge. 2. Jacob Moore, Boulder Creek. 3. Gregory Down, Cesar Chavez. 4. Jonathan Tapia, Copper Canyon.

D1 state meet factoids:  There are five returning state champions -  Chandler's Espalin, who won at 113; Cesar Chavez's Avelar, who won at 138; Desert Vista's Martinez, who won at 145; Desert Vista's Cameau, who won at 160 and Chandler's Deasey, who won at 220. The only unbeaten wrestler in the tournament is Pinnacle's Luke Padwe (52-0 at 220). Chandler junior Espalin is seeking his third consecutive state title.

D1 GIRLS

The girls state tournament begins at 9 a.m. on Friday Feb. 14 at Finley Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. Several rounds will be contested in the morning and early afternoon. The semifinals and consolationa rounds are set for Saturday Ferbruary 15 at  10 a.m.. The finals will begin at approximately 5:30 in tthe afternoon on the 15th.

Top four seeds from each weight class for this week's state meet:

101 - 1. Emily Porras, Ironwood. 2. Tori Miller, Gilbert. 3. Angelina Rediger, Mohave. 4. Caylee Townsend, Mingus. 110 - 1. Sierrah Thrun, Corona del Sol. 2. Sophia Gilbert, Canyon del Oro. 3. Arely Carvajal, Yuma. 4. Tawni Gomez, Moon Valley. 118 - 1. Adacelli Noriega, Bisbee. 2. Isabelle Munoz, Casteel. 3. Alizay Morales, Cesar Chavez. 4. Payton Kessler,  Gila Ridge. 125 - 1. Carolina Moreno, Kofa. 2. Darwin Dewitt, Red Mountain. 3. Tiffany Aguirre, Maryvale. 4. Trinity Howard, Basha. 130 - 1. Mylei Seigia, Canyon del Oro. 2. Bree Garcia, Goldwater. 3. Amy Fuller, ALA-Gilbert North. 4. Jaimes Clark, Ironwood. 135 - 1. Camry Carter, Casteel. 2. Sara Schmoker, Liberty. 3. Adara Blackwelder, Flowing Wells. 4. Latasha Slim, Page. 145 - 1. Courtney Cardoza, Millennium. 2. Olivia Bauer, Ironwood. 3. Amber R. Rodriguez, Basha. 4. Ysela Gradillas-Flores, Marana Mtn. View. 160 - 1. Angie Ocha, Maryvale. 2. Sierra Chapman, Boulder Creek. 3. Zoey Arwine, Mingus. 4. Nina Sandoval, Campo Verde. 185 - 1. Mia Didur, Centennial 2. Alvina Lilzin, Central. 3. Jasmine Jacquay, Tombstone. 4. Sofia Rubio, Marcos de Niza. 225 - 1. Mariah Gramza, Perry. 2. Samantha Trantham, Dysart. 3. Genesis Roblero, Washington. 4. Charry Benecke, Winslow.

D1 state meet factoids: Three returning champs are in the field, the second season for girls wrestling in the state, which does not crown a team champion as an emerging sport. Shadow Ridge's Lexi Borunda, who won at 101 last year and competing at 110 this year. Corona del Sol's Thrun, who won at 110 last year and competing in that class again. Kofa's Carolina Moreno, who won at 130 last year and competing at 125 this year. Undefeated entering the tournament are Ironwood's Porras (18-0 at 101); Corona's Thrun (9-0 at 110); Bisbee's Noriega (17-0 at 118); Kofa's Moreno (23-0 at 125) and Red Mountain's DeWitt (15-0 at 125); Canyon del Oro's Mylei Seigia (30-0 at 130) and Skyline's Brooke Fitzpatrick (2-0 at 130); Casteel's Carter (15-0 at 135) and Liberty's Schmoker (12-0 at 135); Maryvale's Ochoa (15-0 at 160) and Boulder Creek's Chapman (11-0 at 160); Centennial's Didur (23-0 at 185) and Perry's Gramza (12-0 at 225).