Wrestling: Division I state preview

February 6, 2019 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Mesa High's Steve Jarman goes after 138-pound title after runner-up finish to Sunnyside great Roman Bravo-Young last year at 132. (Photo courtesy Mesa High)

Sunnyside will not rule the Division I state boys state wrestling meet this year. The Blue Devils are back in D-II vying to wreak havoc there.

That opens the door for a handful of teams to compete for the D-I team crown for 2019 supremacy this week (Feb. 8-9) at Findlay Center in Prescott Valley.

Below are the top four seeds in each weight class and general outlook on the top contenders for the team title:

106 pounds: *1. Charles Boyle, Westwood. 2. Zander Phatouros, Liberty. 3. Cesar Avelar, Brophy. 4. Zac Randall, Highland. 113: 1. *Zach Espalin, Chandler.  2. Carson Coy, Liberty. 3. Hunter Richards, Mountain View. 4. Anthony Gonzales, Corona del Sol. 120: *1. Zach Kvalve, Corona del Sol. *2. Andres Avelar, Cesar Chavez. 3. Caleb Pool, Tucson. 4. Jonathon Rogers, Liberty. 126: Alex J. Rodriguez, Basha. 2. Bradley Basgall, Mountain View. 3. Bryce Bernard, Valley Vista. *4. Isai Alonzo, Kofa. 132: *1. Bowen Doolen, Mountain View. 2. Mourece Ramirez, Desert Vista. 3. Jonah Muhammad, Hamilton. *4. Andrew Correa, Liberty. 138: 1. Dylan Quinn, Basha. *2. Steve Jarman, Mesa. *3. Seth Fernandez, Queen Creek. 4. Edgar Delgado, Liberty. 145: 1. Alfonso Martinez, Desert Vista. 2. Issac Evans, Hamilton. *3.Collin McCorkle, Liberty. 4. Connor Blakeman, Red Mountain. 152: *1. Denan Fernandez, Queen Creek. 2. Zeke Guerrero, Cibola. 3. Ali Hansen, Mesa. 4. Will Kemper, Chandler. 160: *1. Sheldon Cole, Boulder Creek. *2. Preston Cameau, Desert Vista. 3. Freddy Latu, Hamilton, 4. Daris Beavers, Mountain View. 170: *1. Justice Smith, Desert Vista. 2. Matthew Stevenson, Liberty. 3. Connor Boyd, Perry. 4. Dale Jones, Skyline. 182: 1. Donovan Corn, Hamilton. 2. Makai Obregon, Valley Vista. 3. Alex Galindo, Cesar Chavez. 4. Liam Hoffmeyer, Cibola. 195: *1.Jeremiah Hollen, Mountain View. *2. Travis Calloway, Perry. *3. Armondo Delgado, Desert Vista. 4. Luke Pauga, Liberty. 220: 1. Nathaniel Deasey, Chandler. *2. Luke Padwe, Pinnacle. 3. David Palosika, Mountain Pointe. 4. Reuben Malaonado, Cesar Chavez. 285: *1. Brett Johnson, Desert Vista. *2. Mathew Eager, Westwood. *3. Justin Clatterbuck, Perry. 4. Jacob Moore, Boulder Creek.

* - Denotes state placer in 2018

OUTLOOK AND NOTES:  Six schools qualified at least 11 of 14 wrestlers -- Mountain View qualified all 14, Liberty, moving up from D-II has 13, Desert Vista, Hamilton and Perry 12 each and Cibola 11. Desert Vista has five wrestlers who placed at state last year among its 12 qualifiers, Liberty three and Mountain View two. Ten of Liberty's qualifiers are seeded either No. 1 or No. 2. Nine of Desert Vista's and Mountain View's qualifiers also are seeded either No. 1 or No. 2.

The field possesses three defending state champions. One is a two-time champ --Queen Creek senior Denen Fernandez who shoots for a third consecutive title and fourth time as a state placer. Fernandez was a runner-up in D-II as a freshman at 126 and has titles the last two years at 138 and 145 in D-II. Queen Creek is up in D-I this year where Fernandez is competing at 152. Mountain View senior Jeremiah Hollen is a two-time state place -- champ last year at 195 and runner-up in that class in 2017. Chandler sophomore Zach Espalin competing at 113 this year won the 106 title last year.

Two wrestlers with more than 10 decisions bring unbeaten records to the tournament -- Boulder Creek's Sheldon Cole (51-0) at 160 and Mtn. View's Hollen (44-0). Four others have one loss -  Queen Creek's Fernandez (41-1), Desert Vista's Brett Johnson (40-1) at 285, Hamilton's Donovan Corn (40-1) at 182 and Mesa High's Steve Jarman (52-1) at 138.