Local wrestling talent thrives in AIA state tournament as several champions are crowned
Five Yuma wrestlers come back home with a state title on the mat
YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - Any high school wrestlers dream is standing at the top of the podium, crowned as a state champion - and on Saturday, the end of a three-day battle to the top came to fruition for several local wrestlers inside of Arizona Veteran's Memorial Coliseum.
In the end, five local wrestlers brought home state titles back to Yuma!
In Division I (113), Cibola's Diego Camarillo pulled off a big win to be crowned state champion - not only winning, but beating the defending state champion, Gila Ridge's Clemente Delgado in a local versus local state title match.
In Division II, Kofa welcomed home their next state champion - Sophomore Daniel Alire bringing home the hardware as state champion in (106) weight class.
Next up in Division IV, there were three winners - two of them from Yuma Catholic. Representing the Shamrocks and giving coach Jeff Welsing his 10th and 11th state titles as coach were Hunter Hancock (144) and Trenton Blomquist (175).
Lastly, in the heavyweight class, Elias Espinoza brought home a state title to San Pasqual.
There were also a whole bunch of runner-ups and 3rd-6th place finishers!
DIVISION I:
Clemente Delgado (Gila Ridge) state runner-up
(113)Brady Jones (Gila Ridge) 4th place (126)
GIRLS:
Kennedy Farrar (Gila Ridge) 3rd place
DIVISION II:
Damian Moreno (Kofa) state runner-up (113)Arturo Anaya (Kofa) state runner-up (150)Jose Gael Moreno (Kofa) 4th place (120)Loren Phillips (Kofa) 3rd place (190)Diego Villafana (Kofa) 6th place (138)Jose Rodgriguez (Kofa) 6th place (144)
GIRLS
Issis Stevens (Kofa) 4th place (145)
DIVISION III:
Joseph Bowen (Yuma) runner-up (285)Sabian Russell (Yuma) 3rd place (132)Raymond Nuñez (Yuma) 4th place (150)
GIRLS
Divina Diaz Rios (Yuma) 6th place (100)
DIVISION IV:
Khel Lipumano (YC) state runner-up (106)
Javier Lopez (YC) 5th place (113)
Joshua Rodriguez 5th place (126)
Rocky Stallworth (YC) 4th place (150)
Antonio Gil (YC) 5th place (157)
Max McVicker (YC) 6th place (285)