PSJA High, Weslaco High win District 32 wrestling titles

WESLACO – At the surface, Weslaco High coach Miles Pedersen and PSJA High’s Rolando Becerra don’t have too much in common.

Pedersen, who coached at McAllen High last season is a highly-experienced coach who just last year had one of his wrestlers (180-pound Sam Mangum) win a state championship. Becerra, meanwhile, is just in his third year coaching PSJA and doesn’t look too much older than many of his wrestlers.

Both, however, ended Thursday’s District 32 meet as championship-winning coaches.

Becerrra and PSJA High claimed the boys championship in a tight competition, scoring 166 points and finishing first in four weight classes. Second-place Weslaco East scored 152 and had three district champions while PSJA Memorial came in third with 150 and four firsts.

The victory helped Becerra reach a goal he set when he first took over the Bears program.

“It’s always up to the kids,” Becerra said. “It’s something I’ve been striving for when I first got the job. I wanted the championship. It’s something good for the kids and it brings up their morale.”

The girls’ bracket was won by Pedersen and Weslaco, which scored 139 points and won at five weight classes. That was good enough to beat out Weslaco East, which finished with 128 and two district champs.

Of Weslaco’s nine girls wrestlers, all nine finished in the top 4.

“It’s really impressive,” Pedersen said. “I’m really happy for them.”

The top-two finishers in each weight class qualified Thursday for next weekend’s regional competition in San Antonio.

Brian Sandalow covers high school wrestling for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via e-mail at bsandalow@themonitor.com.

WESLACO  —  The following are the results of the District 32 wrestling tournament held Thursday at Weslaco:

Team Results

Boys

1, PSJA High, 166 points; 2, Weslaco East, 152; 3, PSJA Memorial, 150; 4, Weslaco High, 140; 5, San Benito, 130; 6, PSJA North, 46; 7, Rio Hondo, 14.

Girls

1, Weslaco High, 139 points; 2, Weslaco East, 128; 3, PSJA High, 113; 4, PSJA Memorial, 62; 5, San Benito, 58; 6, Rio Hondo, 28; 7, PSJA North, 16.

Individual Results

Boys

103 pounds — 1, Justin Ramirez, Weslaco High; 2, Jonathon Herrera, San Benito; 3, Wesley Landcaster, PSJA North; 4, Michael Alonzo, Weslaco East.

112 pounds — 1, Ralph Eguia, San Benito; 2, Conrad Murillo, Weslaco East; 3, Ryan Guerrero, PSJA North; 4, Madison Belcher, Weslaco High.

119 pounds — 1, Eloy Osuna, PSJA Memorial; 2, Eric Torres, Weslaco East; 3, Fito Landa, PSJA High; 4, Eric Flores, PSJA North.

125 pounds — 1, Juan Villegas, Weslaco High; 2, Christian Uribe, PSJA Memorial; 3, David Garcia, Weslaco East; 4, Damian Marroquin, PSJA High.

130 pounds — 1, Simon Piniero, PSJA High; 2, Ernie Garcia, Weslaco High; 3, Humberto Pedraza, PSJA Memorial; 4, Mario Jurado, San Benito.

135 pounds — 1, Jose Ibarra III, PSJA Memorial; 2, Mike Gonzales, PSJA High; 3, Adrian Gonzalez, San Benito; 4, Javier Alcantar, Weslaco East.

140 pounds — 1, Julio Marroquin, PSJA High; 2, Angel Posada, PSJA Memorial; 3, Eli Ocanas, Weslaco East; 4, Gonzalo Gutierrez, Weslaco High.

145 pounds — 1, Jorge Gomez, PSJA Memorial; 2, Justin Regino, PSJA High; 3, Eduardo Alaniz, Weslaco East; 4, Dante De La Rosa, Weslaco High.

152 pounds — 1, Jacob Sandoval, PSJA Memorial; 2, Steve Munoz, Weslaco East; 3; Esequiel Alvarez, San Benito; 4, Josefath Alvizo, Weslaco High.

160 pounds — 1, Rogelio Zavala, Weslaco East; 2, Andres Medina, Weslaco High; 3, Joshua Benavides, PSJA High; 4, Amancio Vasquez, San Benito.

171 pounds — 1, Tom Dimas, PSJA High; 2, Kevin Lopez, Weslaco High; 3, Ben Medina, San Benito; 4, Raul Guerrero, PSJA North.

180 pounds — 1, Ricardo Zavala, Weslaco East; 2. Ram Cantu, PSJA High; 3, Anthony Garcia, Weslaco High; 4, Emilio Anaya, San Benito.

189 pounds — 1, Senon F. Moya, Weslaco East; 2, Ramiro Saldivar, San Benito; 3, Robert Galvan, PSJA High; 4, Alex Solis, Weslaco High.

215 pounds — 1, Jacob Lopez, San Benito; 2, Homero Quintanilla, PSJA Memorial; 3, Mark Zamora, Weslaco High; 4, Alex Ochoa, Weslaco East.

285 pounds — 1, Joey Villanueva, PSJA High; 2, Heriberto Perez Jr.; PSJA Memorial; 3, Arturo Camarillo, PSJA North; 4, Manual Vargas, Rio Hondo.

Girls

95 pounds — 1, Sam Martinez, Weslaco High; 2, Alexandra Marmolejo, San Benito; 3, Valerie Flores, PSJA High; 4, Danielle Ramirez, Weslaco East.

102 pounds — 1, Victoria De La Cruz, PSJA Memorial; 2, Karisma Hernandez, PSJA High; 3, Julissa Barrios, Weslaco East; 4, Ashley Garcia, Weslaco High.

110 pounds — 1, Samantha Gonzalez, Weslaco High; 2, Annette Gonzalez, Weslaco East; 3, Ari Velasquez, PSJA High; 4, Ashley Acosta, PSJA Memorial.

119 pounds — 1, Monique Ruiz, Weslaco East; 2, Sherry Hernandez, PSJA High; 3, Maria Estrada, Rio Hondo; 4, Jessica Villegas, Weslaco High.

128 pounds — 1, Liz Villarreal, Weslaco East; 2, Adriana Mancillas, San Benito; 3, Giselle Marquez, Weslaco East; 4, Valerie Lomas, PSJA Memorial.

138 pounds — 1, Ana Almaguer, Weslaco High, 2, Stephanie Hernandez, PSJA High; 3, Karen Morales, PSJA Memorial, 4, Chantell Lamas, Weslaco East.

148 pounds — 1, Ashley Tillman, Weslaco East; 2, Amanda Rodriguez, Weslaco High; 3, Beatriz Ibarra, Rio Hondo; 4, Gina Maldonado, San Benito.

165 pounds — 1, Clarissa Pina, Weslaco High; 2, Maria G. Gonzalez, San Benito; 3, Jasmin Ortiz, PSJA Memorial; 4, Anel Moyar, Weslaco East.

185 pounds — 1, Claudia Pena, PSJA High; 2, Vivianna Espinoza, PSJA North; 3, Nydia De Leon, Weslaco East; 4, Anissa Abrego, San Benito.

215 pounds — 1, Adriana Pena, PSJA High; 2, Eriel Ebarb, Weslaco East; Angelica Trevino, Weslaco High; 4. Lilliana Valladrez, Rio Hondo.