Juarez-Lincoln, Rio Grande City claim district wrestling titles

LA JOYA — If anything was proven at the District 31 wrestling meet Saturday at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, it’s that a new school can quickly grow a top program. That development, which allowed host Juarez-Lincoln to dethrone La Joya, should also be encouraging to Rio Grande City, which defended its girls title.

This season is the last for one RGC school before the district splits into two high schools next school year. Witnessing the Huskies’ first-ever title in only its second season of competition could bode well for RGC coach Ronald Pratt and his program, which will lose talent to the new school.

“I think the new RGC school is going to be real competitive right off the bat. I don’t know if they’re going to have the success Juarez had in two years but they’re going to be competitive,” Pratt said. “I think if we can fill in some holes that we’re losing some seniors in, I think we can still be competitive.”

The Juarez-Lincoln boys, who had five wrestlers qualify for regionals, have already grown into one of District 31’s top programs. By fending off RGC on Saturday, they both dethroned champion La Joya and added a district title to the dual championship they claimed with a 9-0 record during the season.

“We’re excited. Even before the season started we thought that’s what we were focusing on,” Juarez-Lincoln boys coach Armando Resendez said. “Our goals were to win a district title. That’s what we wanted to start, building the tradition.”

Though Pratt expects both the boys and girls RGC programs to stay strong, this season is something of an end of an era for the Rattlers. Pratt said the girls title, which they won by outpointing Juarez-Lincoln, was a little bit special because of the impending split.

LA JOYA — The following are the results from the District 31 wrestling meet completed Saturday at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln High School.

TEAM RESULTS

BOYS

1. Juarez-Lincoln, 155 points; 2, Rio Grande City, 143; 3, McAllen Rowe, 127.5; 4, La Joya High 126.5; 5, Mission Veterans Memorial, 122; 6, La Joya Palmview 116.5; 7, McAllen High, 70; 8, Sharyland, 61; 9, McAllen Memorial, 41; 10, Mission High, 38.

GIRLS

1, Rio Grande City, 147.5 points                    2, Juarez-Lincoln, 130              3, McAllen Rowe, 92.5             4, Palmview, 74                        4, Sharyland, 74                      6, McAllen High, 71                  7, McAllen Memorial, 51            8, La Joya, 30           8, Mission Veterans Memorial, 30                      10, Mission High, 0.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Boys

103 pounds

1. Jaime Flores, Palmview

2. Justin Villarreal, McAllen Rowe

3. Mario Gomez, Mission High

4. Gabriel Flores, McAllen High

112 pounds

1. David Diaz, McAllen Rowe

2. Jesus Canales, Rio Grande City

3. Alex Perez, La Joya High

4. Ramon Marquez, Palmview

119 pounds

1. Rodolfo Gonzalez, Mission Veterans Memorial

2. Carlos Olvera, Juarez-Lincoln

3. Branden Farris, Sharyland

4. David Hernandez, Palmview

125 pounds

1. Jose Martinez, Palmview

2. Abraham Garza, Juarez-Lincoln

3. Jacob Lopez, McAllen Rowe

4. Ernesto Castellanos, Mission High

 130 pounds

1. Abraham Rodriguez, Mission Veterans Memorial

2. Fernando Flores, Sharyland

3. Alex Garza, La Joya High

4. Martin Torres, Juarez-Lincoln HS

 135 pounds

1. Jesus Cantu, Juarez-Lincoln

2. Justin Guerra, Mission Veterans Memorial

3. Serjio Proctor, McAllen Memorial

4. Chris Pugh, McAllen High

 140 pounds

1. Alex Cardenas, La Joya High

2. Alex Becerra, Juarez-Lincoln

3. Leo Duran, Rio Grande City

4. Edgar Vela, McAllen Memorial

 145 pounds

1. Frank Rivera, La Joya

2. Christopher Madsen, McAllen Rowe

3. Joey Salmon, Rio Grande City

4. Daniel Salazar, Mission Veterans

 152 pounds

1. Miguel Guerra, Palmview

2. Martin Chapa, Rio Grande City

3. Daniel Belman, Juarez-Lincoln

4. Alfredo Silva, McAllen Rowe

 160 pounds

1. Jorge Ibarra, Rio Grande City

2. Luis Guerra, Palmview

3. Andres Hernandez, Juarez-Lincoln

4. Thomas Caballero, McAllen Rowe

 171 pounds

1. Julian Garza, Juarez-Lincoln

2. Jose Molina, La Joya High

3. Gilbert Garza, Rio Grande City

4. Enrique Escontrias, Palmview

 180 pounds

1. Gilbert Garcia, Mission Veterans Memorial

2. Edwardo Garcia, McAllen Rowe

3. Joseluis Garza, Rio Grande City

4. Cameron Denny, McAllen High

 189 pounds

1. Sam Mangum, McAllen High

2. Jose Gonzalez, Juarez-Lincoln

3. Michael Castro, McAllen Rowe

4. Gabriel Garza, Mission Veterans Memorial

 215 pounds

1. Osiel Hinojosa, Rio Grande City

2. Jonathan Salinas, La Joya

3. Gustavo Barona, Sharyland

4. Sergio Saenz, Mission Veterans Memorial

 285 pounds

1. Joe Alvarez, La Joya

2. Scott Inskeep, McAllen High

3. Carlos Lerma, Mission Veterans Memorial

4. Luis Estrada, Palmview

GIRLS

95 pounds

1. Briana Salinas, Sharyland

2. Sara Gonzalez, McAllen Rowe

3. Araceli Hernandez, McAllen Memorial

4. Iris Valenzuela, Palmview

102 pounds

1. Vianey Mares, Mission Veterans Memorial

2. Jessica Solis, Rio Grande City

3. Angelique Barrera, McAllen Rowe

4. Crystal Martinez, Juarez-Lincoln

110 pounds

1. Chelsea Light, McAllen Rowe

2. Bianca Salinas, Sharyland

3. Jenny Pena, Rio Grande City

4. Scarlett Lopez, McAllen High

119 pounds

1. Samantha Sepulveda, Rio Grande City

2. Miranda Lara, Juarez-Lincoln

3. Cynthia Cardenas, McAllen High

4. Jacky Guerra, Sharyland

128 pounds

1. Denise Yanez, McAllen Memorial

2. Priscilla Castellano, McAllen Rowe

3. Yolanda De Alejandro, Juarez-Lincoln

4. Leslie Lopez, Rio Grande City

138 pounds

1. Stepany Oviedo, Juarez-Lincoln

2. Cinthia Torres, Palmview

3. Lisa Gonzales, Rio Grande City

4. Jessica Reybal, McAllen Memorial

148 pounds

1. Briana Olivares, McAllen High

2. Leanna Salinas, Sharyland

3. Keyla Rivera, Juarez-Lincoln

4. Gloria Gonzalez, Rio Grande City

165 pounds

1. Roxanne Rivera, Rio Grande City

2. Ana Deleon, McAllen High

3. Maricela Dela Cruz, McAllen Rowe

4. Yaressi Hernandez, Palmview

185 pounds

1. Victoria Leanos, La Joya

2. Jenny Rocha, Rio Grande City

3. Perla Becerra, Juarez-Lincoln

4. Leslie Lopez, Palmview 

215 pounds

1. Zulema Pachecano, Juarez-Lincoln

2. Amber Pratt, Rio Grande City

3. Deisy Flores, Palmview