Cibola won the Division II title last year but the Raiders are wrestling in D-I this winter.  Look for Liberty and Mountain View to move up and challenge for the title this year. Kofa finished in 41st place last year but the Kings won the Section I title this year by a wide margin over Desert Edge.

Kofa qualified 10 wrestlers for state, Mountain View qualified 11 and Liberty had 12 move up.  Queen Creek saw 10 wrestlers qualify as did Deer Valley.  Section II winner Seton Catholic qualified eight.

Eight champions graduated from last year and six are returning with only McClintock sophomore Marco Groves competing in the same weight class (132) as he did last year.

Brandon Courtney of Desert Edge, Gator Groves of McClintock and Daniel Hernandez of Prescott moved up one weight class while James Deitz of Liberty and Jacob Swift of Deer Valley moved up two weight classes.

The 106-pound weight class is wide open with the top three placers from last year either graduated or wrestling in another weight class. Mountain View Marana sophomore Javier Ortiz (33-10) took fourth place last year and he sees a perfect opportunity.

"I've been thinking of this since middle school," Ortiz said. "I worked hard for this. Our team is coming back."

 

2015 Team Results

1.  Cibola  142.0

2.  Liberty  130.0

3.  Mountain View Marana  93.0

4.  Desert Edge  80.0

5.  Cienega  79.5

6.  Campo Verde  76.0

7.  Barry Goldwater  69.0

8.  Gila Ridge  60.0

9.  Catalina Foothills  59.0

10.  Prescott  56.0

 

2016 Section Champions

 

SEC I: Kofa (220)

SEC II: Mountain View Marana (221)

Sec III: Seton Catholic (198)

Sec IV: Liberty (253.5)

 

2015 Champions and 2016 Section Champions

 

106: 2015 1st Place - Jesus Urquidez of Cholla (12th)

 

SEC I: Jacob Arredondo of La Joya Community.

SEC II: Javier Ortiz of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Spencer Stagg of Mesquite.

SEC IV: Carlos Vargas of Deer Valley.

 

113: 2015 1st Place - Brandon Courtney of Desert Edge (10th)

 

SEC I: Robert Aceves of Verrado.

SEC II: Andrew Cota of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Bryce Nickel of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: Atilano Escobar of Liberty.

 

(Brandon Courtney of Desert Edge moved up to 120)

 

120: 2015 1st Place - Gator Groves of McClintock (9th)

 

SEC I: Brandon Courtney of Desert Edge.

SEC II: Brady Schall of Queen Creek.

SEC III: Alex Dunham of Campo Verde.

SEC IV: Zachary Padilla of Deer Valley.

 

(Gator Groves of McClintock moved up to 126)

 

126: 2015 1st Place - Joshua Kramer of Desert Edge (12th)

 

SEC I: Jacob Rios of Dysart.

SEC II: Marcus Castillo of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Gator Groves of McClintock.

SEC IV: Greg Burgess of Cactus Shadows.

 

132: 2015 1st Place - Marco Groves of McClintock (9th)

 

SEC I: Carlos Urias of Kofa.

SEC II: Constatino Murillo of Sahuaro.

SEC III: Marco Groves of McClintock.

SEC IV: Cory Collins of Liberty.

 

138: 2015 1st Place - James Deitz of Liberty (9th)

 

SEC I: Kody Ball of Desert Edge

SEC II: Trey Waltz of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Weston Milnes-Bowers of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: Corrye Jackson of Liberty.

 

(James Deitz of Liberty moved up to 152)

 

145: 2015 1st Place - Andres Gandara of Cibola (12th)

 

SEC I: David Castaneda of Kofa.

SEC II: Shavez Hawkins Jr. of Poston Butte.

SEC III: Vincent Dolce of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: Jake Dale of Liberty.

 

152: 2015 1st Place - Jacob Swift of Deer Valley (11th)

 

SEC I: Wayde Mowry of Verrado

SEC II: Frankie Lee of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Quentin Hovis of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: James Deitz of Liberty.

 

(Jacob Swift of Deer Valley moved up to 170)

 

160: 2015 1st Place - Talon Vaughn of Prescott (12th)

 

SEC I: Josh Vigh of Desert Edge.

SEC II: Matt Saba of Queen Creek.

SEC III: Brandon Konecny of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: Daniel Rodriguez of Apollo.

 

170: 2015 1st Place - Cameron Wells of Higley (12th)

 

SEC I: Adam Gallegos of Desert Edge.

SEC II: Dawson Hand of Catalina Foothills.

SEC III: Curtis Stevenson of Thunderbird.

SEC IV: Jacob Swift of Deer Valley.

 

182: 2015 1st Place - Vicente Guerrero of Cibola (12th)

 

SEC I: Jabreel Edwards of Tolleson.

SEC II: Sean Palermo of Queen Creek.

SEC III: Bridger Barker of Seton Catholic.

SEC IV: Miles Nuessle of Liberty.

 

195: 2015 1st Place - Daniel Hernandez of Prescott (11th)

 

SEC I: Eric Nieves of Independence

SEC II: Louis Aguilar of Mountain View Marana.

SEC III: Eric Mickelson of Thunderbird.

SEC IV: Blake Smith of Liberty.

 

(Daniel Hernandez of Prescott moved up to 220)

 

220: 2015 1st Place - Danny Reyes of Barry Goldwater (12th)

 

SEC I: Sergio Gutierrez of Kofa.

SEC II: William Walker of Cienega.

SEC III: Trevor Kauer of Campo Verde.

SEC IV: Daniel Hernandez of Prescott.

 

285: 2015 1st Place - Darrin Kauer of Campo Verde (12th)

 

SEC I: Alexander Vo of Glendale.

SEC II: Jerome Doss of Cholla.

SEC III: Roy Lopez of Mesquite.

SEC IV: Enrique Guevara of Apollo.