8 defending champs back for more at D-I wrestling tournament
February 6, 2012 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365
Eight wrestlers that took home state titles last year are back looking for another at the Division I state wrestling tournament when it opens Friday (Feb. 10) and Saturday (Feb. 11) at Tim's Toyota Center in Prescott Valley.
Cibola's Rafael James, Chandler's Dalton Brady, Desert Vista's Robbie Mathers and Alex Bambic, Highland's Curt Doe, Mesa Mountain View's Seth Monty, Mesa High's Dorian Coleman and Sunnyside's Cedric Gonzalez stood atop the award stand in 2011. Six are the top seed in their weight class this year (Brady, Mathers, Monty, Coleman, Bambic and Gonzalez).
Horizon, which has never won a state wrestling title, has six wrestlers seeded in the top four of their weight classes. Cibola and Corona del Sol with five top-4 seeds apiece can do some damage, as can Desert Vista and Sunnyside with four wrestlers in the aforementioned category. Horizon, Desert Vista, Sunnyside and Chandler have two wrestlers each seeded No. 1.
Wrestling begins Friday at 11:15 a.m. with championship round one, championship round two and consolation round one. It resumes on Saturday at 10 a.m. with consolation round two, championship semifinals and consolation rounds three and four. The championships and medal rounds begin at 4 p.m.
Here are the top four seeds in each weight class:
DIVISION I
106-pounds: 1. Tristan Moran, Chandler; 2. Juanquin Olivas, Cesar Chavez; 3. Rafael James, Cibola; 4. Gary Smith, Desert Ridge. 113: 1. Travis Matt, Horizon; 2. Dajour Reece, Cesar Chavez; 3. Luis Montanez, Maryvale; 4. Nathan Bosley, Perry. 120: 1. Dalton Brady, Chandler; 2. Arch Ratleff, Perry; 3. Da'Wayne Robertson, Westwood; 4. William Maxson, Horizon. 126: 1. Isaac Camarillo, Cibola; 2. Alexis Martinez, Cesar Chavez; 3. Octavio Penunnuri, Mesa Mtn. View; 4. Efren Hernandez, Carl Hayden. 132: 1. Robbie Mathers, Desert Vista; 2. Luis Nunez, Cibola. Raul Moraga, Sunnyside, 3. Zach Walton, Corona del Sol; 4. Raul Moraga, Sunnyside. 138: Daniel Cartegena, Corona del Sol; 2. Curt Done, Highland; 3. Bryant Wood, Horizon; 4. Robert Sobarzo, Desert Vista. 145: Seth Monty, Mesa Mtn. View. 2. Ethan Tursini, Corona del Sol; 3. Pierre Gaud, Cibola; 4. Jared Johnson, Gilbert. 152: Samson Imonode, Horizon; 2. Marshall Varner, Brophy; 3. Joe Pyper, Mesa; 4. Jason Landrum, Corona del Sol. 160: 1. Dorian Coleman, Mesa; 2. Brian Powers, Buena; 3. Payton Vermeesch, Pinnacle; 4. Brandon Stratton, Red Mountain. 170: 1. Dante Patrick, Desert Mtn.; 2. Garrett Ryan, Horizon 3. Ricardo Morales, Cibola; 4. Jimi Dixie, Desert Vista. 182: 1. Christian Allen, Highland; 2. Jeremiah Imonode, Horizon; 3. Stephon Massey, Millennium; 4. Jay Tucker, Corona del Sol. 195: 1. Alex Bambic, Desert Vista; 2. Alex Burgoyne, Hamilton; 3. T.J. Thomas, Dobson; 4. Hugo Villa, Desert Mtn. 220: 1. Cedric Gonzalez, Sunnyside; 2. Ben Andrew, Mesa; 3. Jerad Humphries, Basha; 4. Vince Vasquez, Mountain Ridge. HWT: 1. Timothy Laverty, Sunnyside; 2. 2. Mike Kaledjian, Red Mountain; 3. Cody Rediger, Westview; 4. David Castorena, North.
