The Lobos boys team finished in ninth place as a team at the Division 3 state wrestling meet held at Veterans Memorial Coliseum over the weekend. Snowflake scored 74.5 team points. Sahuarita won the team crown with 239 team points, well ahead of second place American Leadership Gilbert North who had 147. Crismon finished third with 135.5.
Snowflake was represented by six wrestlers at the meet. Five of the six placed in their respective weight classes. Kannon Smith (128) went 4-1, placing third. He won his first match via pin in the first period over Connor Geren from The Odyssey Institute. That win advanced him in the winners’ bracket where he then defeated Christian Posado from Salpointe Catholic by a 5-0 three round decision. He then lost to Jayden Spinoza from Yuma by just 2 points in the semifinal round. That loss sent him to the third-place match where he defeated Richard Tanori from Sahuarita 10-8 to claim third place.
Krew Burden also placed third competing in the 122-pound weight class. Like Smith he went 4-1 over the two days of action. He won his first match via first round pin. Won his second with a pin in the second round, then dropped the semifinal match, getting pinned by the eventual state champion Alex Chacon from Safford. Burden claimed third place with a second-round pin over Caleb Hood from Apache Junction.
Omar Martin placed fifth in the 177-pound class. Martin won his first match with a second-round pin. He advanced in his second with a 13-10 decision but fell in round three getting pinned in the third round. Martin fell in a third-round pin in the consolation semifinals, then defeated David Holt from Crismon in the fifth and sixth place match with a third-round pin.
Edge Bryant competed in the 115-pound class placing fifth. Bryant won his first match with a quick first round pin. Then advanced in the second round with a close 11-10 decision. He fell in round three, getting shut out 10-0 in three rounds and lost again in the consolation semifinal round with a third-round pin. He claimed 5th place with a 4-2 decision over Caleb Kelly from Cactus Shadows in the fifth-place match.
Logan Bailey won his first match with a second-round pin. Lost an 8-11 decision in his second match but came back with a first-round pin and a second round 11-6 win in the consolation bracket. His season ended with losses in the consolation semifinal round and a loss in the fifth-place match giving him sixth place at the state tournament.
Gunner Cardon went 1-2 in the 159-pound class. He fell by technical pin in his first match, then won a close 10-9 decision in his first consolation match. His season ended with a second-round pin in the final match of the tournament.
The Lady Lobos placed 15th in the Division 2 state meet. Snowflake had nine wrestlers qualify for the state meet. The only one of those who placed was Mareli Marin who placed 3rd in the 167-pound class. She won her first two matches via pin but got pinned in the semifinal round, sending her to the consolation side of the bracket. She bounced back with a win in the second-round pin in the semifinals, then claimed third place with another second-round pin in the third and fourth place match.
Brooklinn Baldwin (140) went 1-2 in her three matches, pinning her opponent for her two wins. Ellie Bryant (237) went 0-2 with both losses by pins. Emilyta Tso (154) lost her first match by pin but came back with back-to-back wins before losing her final match to go 2-2. Julia Jones (134) lost both her matches, one in the second round and the other in the third round. Laini Hancock (147) went 0-2 with two first round losses via pin.
Madi De La Cruz (128) went 0-2 losing both matches by decisions. Sara Blackman (187) went 0-2 losing both matches with first round pins. Sara Shumway (122) dropped her first match with a close 1-4 decision, then won her second-round match with an 8-2 decision. She then won her third-round match with a pin. The tournament ended with a 11-19 decision loss in her final match for her 2-2 record.
