By K. Conner
On Jan. 17-18, the 60th Annual Doc Wright Invitational took place at Winslow High School with 44 boys teams and 39 girls teams. Participating with over 861 wrestlers including 583 boys and 278 girls, from five states including Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and California Divisions I-IV. Over 1,000 matches took place, making this the largest invitational in its history. To provide an idea of how large it has grown in the 60 years, it started with just eight to 10 teams in 1965 according to then wrestling coach Dave Conatser who started the invitational and named it after the Athletic Director Doc Wright. Team results for girls: Campo Verde came in first with 166.5 points, Mica Mountain, second with 134 points; Miyamura, third with 133; Sandra Day O’Conner, fourth with 127.5; Snowflake, fifth with 122 points. Other northern Arizona teams finishes include Round Valley, 10th; Show Low, 11th; Page, 17th; Monument Valley, 19th; Coconino, 20th; Winslow, 27th; Holbrook, 28th; Ganado, 29th; Blue Ridge and Joseph City, 32nd; and Payson, 34th. Team results for boys: Sahuarita, first with 239 points; Casteel, second with 209; Marana, third with 189.5; ALA-Gilbert, fourth with 182; and Mogollon, fifth with 172. Other northern Arizona team finishes: St. Johns, eighth; Show Low, 10th; Snowflake, 14th; Page, 20th; Payson, 27th; Coconino, 28th; Monument Valley, 32nd; Winslow, 33rd; Blue Ridge and Holbrook, 37th; Round Valley, 40th; Ganado, 43rd; and Joseph City, 44th. Listed are the Arizona finishers in the top six places, all who were awarded medals. In the girls’ weight class results: In the 100-pound class, Evelyn Perez of Snowflake placed sixth. In the 107-pound class, Athea Valenzuela of Desert Ridge, first; Khyla Lipumano of Yuma Catholic, second; and Mia Pietryka of Campo Verde, third. In the 114-pound class, Hannah Naccarati-Cholo of Basha, first; Rebecca Ponce of Desert Ridge, second; and Braylin Hermes of Campo Verde, third. In the 120-pound class Madeline Mench of Mica Mountain, first; Ella Sims of Campo Verde, second; Emma Corley of Boulder Creek, third; and Emily Perez of Snowflake, fourth. In the 126-poumd class, Bella Terrian of Campo Verde, first; Kaylee Coleman of Sandra Day O’Conner, second; Taizly Newman of Round Valley, fifth; and Vonetta Merrell of Coconino, sixth. In the 132-pound class, Izzy LeVine of Casteel, first; Natasha Kasprowicz of Boulder Creek, second; Bekah Hodges of Campo Verde, third. In the 138-pound class, Kalya Johnston of Casteel, first; Kaytlin LaDuke of Snowflake, second; Bella Morello of ALA-Gilbert, third; Mya Tsinnijinnie of Page, fourth; and McKenna Hardy of Winslow, sixth. In the 145-pound class, Maliah Goins of Bloomfield, first; Syria Smith of Barry Goldwater, second; Julianna Arvizu of Basha, third; and Ava Harding of Show Low, fourth. In the 152-pound class, Lola Terraza of Campo Verde, first; Kylan Gasiorowski of Boulder Creek, second; Mia Johnson of Casteel, third; Cheyenne Kescoli of Monument Valley, fourth; and Makyah Slade of Round Valley, fifth. In the 165-pound class, Isra Faja of Sandra Day O’Conner, first; Kaylani Lyons of Basha, second; Veronica Rodriguez of Miyamura, third; and Logan Rivers of Page, sixth. In the 185-pound class, Sydnee Finch of Round Valley, first; Shudean Halkini of Miyamura, second; and Mareli Marin of Snowflake, third. In the 235-pound class, Caylee Miller of Bloomfield, first; Ellie Bryant of Snowflake, second; Avery Trujillo of Mica Mountain, third; Sarah Blackman of Snowflake, fourth; and Sydney Valentino of Coconino, fifth. In the boys’ weight class results: In the 106-pound class, Anthony Pimentel of Mogollon, first; Tate Bodine of Pima, second; and Aziel Velasquez of ALA-Gilbert, third. In the 113-pound class, Austin Lopez of Miyamura, first; Alex Chacon of Safford, second; and Gavin Palace of Payson, third. In the 120-pound class, Remington Judd of Desert Ridge, first; Teagan Lewis of Payson, second; Adden Jarman of Mesa, third; and Max Freund of Show Low, fourth. In the 126-pound class, Richard Romero of Marana, first; Khel Lipmano of Yuma Catholic, second; and Ryan Dugan of Durango, third. In the 132-pound class, Daniel Guerrero of Sahuarita, first; Connor Peterson of Page, second; and Reese Crosby of St Johns, third. In the 138-pound class, Owen Proper of Marana, first; Aaron Callirgos of Desert Ridge, second; Elias Johnson of Bloomfield, third; and Tsinajinnie Green of Page, sixth. In the 144-pound class Isaac Moore of Marana, first; Kaleb Porter of Mogollon, second; and Michael Romero of Winslow, third. In the 150-pound class, Vaghn Strobel of Casteel, first; Chris Frost of Marana, second; and Dallan Rawlings of Show Low, third. In the 157-pound class, Gabriel Gallardo of Sahuarita, first; Mike Johnson of Mogollon, second; and Nolan Wilson of Coconino, sixth. In the 165-pound class, Hunter Hancock of Yuma Catholic, first; Nathaniel Gallardo of Sahuarita, second; and Logan Zebowski of Coconino, third. In the 175-pound class, Stosh Jobe of ALA-Gilbert, first; Trace Nielson of St. Johns, second; William Thwaits of Sahuarita, third; and Alexander Anderson of Show Low, fourth. In the 190-pound class, Jaxon Hamilton of Casteel, first; Tyler Shumway of Mica Mountain, second; JP McKay of ALA-Gilbert, third; Ammon Jessop of St. Johns, fourth; and Brent White of Snowflake, fifth. In the 215-pound class, Devin Kinlicheenie of Snowflake, first; Thomes Nelson of Bagdad, second; Brock Haws of Pima, third; and Carson Thomas of St. Johns fourth. In the 285-pound class, Tucker Smith of Sandra Day O’Conner, first; Caleb Balke of Casteel, second; and Elias Espinoza of San Pasqual Valley, third. Congratulations to Winslow Athletic Director Ricky Greer and his team Jeff and Justin Hartman, who for the last 20 years have run the tourney and help build it up over the years with their relationships with coaches throughout the Southwest. Lisa Long for doing all the registering of the athletes on Trackwrestling and the brackets, along with setting up the laptops and monitors that display the scores at each mat. Debbie Martinez and her daughter, Jackie Hartman who ran the hospitality room by getting donations from the Winslow community members and local businesses. Dave and Ann Hartman who also assisted throughout the tournament.
