Twenty Valley wrestlers headed to state
SAN ANTONIO --- Rio Grande Valley wrestling had another strong showing Saturday at the Region IV tournament Saturday in San Antonio as 20 athletes advanced to the state tournament.
La Joya-Palmview, which claimed the District 31 boys championship, finished sixth with 73 points. District rival McAllen Rowe, which also had a strong season, finished eighth with 57.5.
On the girls side, there were four teams that finished in the top 10, as Rio Grande City came in a tie for sixth at 51 points. McAllen Memorial tied for eighth at 44, while District 31 champion La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and Weslaco High tied for 10th at 43. PSJA Memorial finished 12th with 42 points.
There were also boys and girls wrestlers that finished as individual champions and others who are moving onto the UIL state meet later this month in Austin.
On the boys side, McAllen Rowe’s Francisco Garza improved to 30-2 by winning the 103-pound title, defeating Palmview’s Justin Pina. Rudy Gonzalez won the title at the 125-pound bracket, beating Rowe’s David Diaz.
Palmview got another winner at the 152-pound level as Miguel Guerra ran his record to 24-0.
For the girls, Grulla’s Samantha Sepulveda, who began her career at Rio Grande City, improved to 38-0 by winning the 119-pound title. Lisa Gonzalez of RGC won the 138-pound crown by beating Ana Almaguer of Weslaco High.
The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state tournament. The Valley is slated to be represented at that event in seven boys weight classes (of 15) and eight of 10 on the girls side.
Last season, the Valley had perhaps its best year at the state meet. Sam Mangum won the 189-pound title after winning in 2009 at the 180-pound class. Rowe’s Sara Gonzalez also won a state title in the 95-pound bracket, giving the Valley its first girls state champion.
TEAM RESULTS
BOYS
1. San Antonio Reagan, 124 points; 2. Vista Ridge, 117; 3. Leander, 83; 4. Austin Bowie, 78.5; 5. Bryan, 74.5; 6. Palmview, 73; 7. A&M Consolidated, 63; 8. McAllen Rowe, 57.5; 9. Cedar Park, 52; 10. Austin Akins, 51.5
GIRLS
1. Killeen Ellison, 101 points; 2. Wagner, 97; 3. A.C. Jones, 89; 3. Killeen Ellison; 5. Bryan, 68; 6. Austin Akins, 51; 6. Rio Grande City, 51; 8. Austin Bowie, 44; 8. McAllen Memorial, 44; 10. Juarez-Lincoln, 43; 10. Weslaco High, 43.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Boys
103 pounds
1. Francisco. Garza, McAllen Rowe
2. Justin. Pina, Palmview
3. Ceylan Heaston, Judson
4. Ryan Elwick, Westlake
112 pounds
1. Sean Ambrocio, Reagan
2. Jordan Krenek. Anderson
3. Jeff Jordan, Ellison
4. Kevin Wilson, Vista Ridge
119 pounds
1. Andrew Wilson, Canyon
2. Jonathan Flores, Leander
3. Kevin Ambrocio, Reagan
4. Bobby Rodriguez, McAllen Memorial
125 pounds
1. Rudy Gonzalez, Mission Veterans
2. David Diaz, McAllen Rowe
3. Bobby Rodriguez, Akins
4. Anthony Vaughn, Leander
130 pounds
1. Garrett Dunn, Cedar Park
2. Justin Sanford, Reagan
3. Zach Escobar, Bryan
4. Marco Salais, Leander
135 pounds
1. Greg Sanders, Reagan
2. Ryan Noland, Johnson
3. Levi McLemore, Vista Ridge
4. Tyler Ward, A&M Consolidated
140 pounds
1. Aaron Walker, Judson
2. Victor Thomas, Bryan
3. Nathan Harrison, Vista Ridge
4. Trent Cooper, Reagan
145 pounds
1. Slater Hodges, New Braunfels
2. Chris Giddens, Leander
3. Jeff Sanford, Reagan
4. Fabian Lara, Sharyland
152 pounds
1. Miguel Guerra, Palmview
2. Colby Wilson, Vista Ridge
3. Garrett Goodman, A&M Consolidated
4. Richard Reyes, Moody
160 pounds
1. Brian Dorsey, Bowie
2. Cody Criswell, Leander
3. Steven Jayme, Johnson
4. Dillon Carter, Vista Ridge
171 pounds
1. Justin Hamilton, Vista Ridge
2. Trevor Hershey, Westlake
3. Jason Mayorga, CC Carroll
4. Adam Fowler
180 pounds
1. Omar Contreras, Hendrickson
2. Eli Urbina, Weslaco East
3. Stephen Mears, Madison
4. Josh Garza, CC King
189 pounds
1. Kevin Noriega, Churchill
2. John Rodriguez, Roosevelt
3. Roberto Caceres, Akins
4. Josh Kelly, Cedar Park
215 pounds
1. Alex Denney, Churchill
2. David Jones, Bryan
3. Erickson Caldwell, A&M Consolidated
4. Dean Collier, Cedar Park
285 pounds
1. Christian Ramos, Austin
2. Will Becker, Bowie
3. Connor Hunsaker, Madison
4. Christian Garza, Palmview
GIRLS
95 pounds
1. Krystal Lumbreras, Wagner
2. Michelle Guerrero, Austin Akins
3. Adrianna Perez, Killeen Shoemaker
4. Amanda Villegas, AC Jones
102 pounds
1. Allison Woodruff, Austin LBJ
2. Araceli Hernandez, McAllen Memorial
3. Esmi Gonzalez, Wagner
4. Maria De La Cruz, PSJA Memorial
110 pounds
1. Natalia Villarreal, Austin Bowie
2. Mallaly Aleman, Juarez-Lincoln
3. Daisy Cisneros, CC King
4. Jenny Pena, Rio Grande City
119 pounds
1. Samantha Sepulveda, Grulla
2. April De Los Santos, AC Jones
3. Laura Hawk, Bryan
4. Dominique Mancillas, Wagner
128 pounds
1. Jenna Goen, Bryan
2. Fallon Christian, Killeen Ellison
3. Karen Morales, PSJA Memorial
4. Ana Reyes, McAllen Memorial
138 pounds
1. Lisa Gonzalez, Rio Grande City
2. Ana Almaguer, Weslaco High
3. Evalyn Reyna, Austin Bowie
4. Nalani Brown, Killeen Ellison
148 pounds
1. Zana West, Killeen Shoemaker
2. Kendra Bauch, SA MacArthur
3. Christy McMath, Victoria East
4. Sierra Grazier, Churchill
165 pounds
1. Brittney Rodriguez, AC Jones
2. Adriana Pena, PSJA High
3. Armani Bethley, Wagner
4. Victoria Huitt, Bryan
185 pounds
1. Noemi Lopez, AC Jones
2. Ashley Cumba, Killeen Ellison
3. Victoria Leanos, La Joya
4. Anicia Perez, Roosevelt
215 pounds
1. Jazzmyn Arrington, Wagner
2. Jasmin Noguez, Austin Crockett
3. Eriel Ebarb, Weslaco East
4. Chelsie Drisdale, Killeen Ellison
