AIA state wrestling: 6 area grapplers one match away from title bout
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Winslow senior Michael Romero (top) works on St. Johns wrestler Vincent Tullie during last week’s AIA sectional tournament. Romero is one of six area wrestlers that have reach the state semifinals as the AIA state tournament will conclude on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
WINDOW ROCK – The semifinal matches are set for the Arizona Interscholastic Association boys and girls state wrestling tournament.
Six area grapplers are one match away from wrestling for a state crown as the AIA state wrestling tournament will conclude on Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
The third- and fifth-place matches are tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. with the championship bouts set for 4:30 p.m.
Page’s Connor Peterson (at 132 pounds) and Winslow’s Michael Romero (144) remain in the hunt for a state title as the two grapplers won a pair of matches on Friday in their respective brackets at the Division IV state meet.
“My freshman year I medaled third, sophomore year I took second and last year I got fourth and so this year I’m looking for gold,” Romero said.
One year ago, the Winslow grappler admitted that he wasn’t in the “right state of mind,” while competing at last year’s state meet as a junior.
“I had a lot of distractions in my life that just took over, so it cost me,” said Romero, who improved to 57-2 overall. “It wasn’t there for me, so this year I’m coming for the gold medal, and nothing is going to stop me.”
For Peterson (14-1), he’s also seeking his first state crown, having placed fourth his freshman year and second last season.
“I feel like I’m getting very close, and I feel like I deserve it,” Peterson said of a state crown. “I work my butt all summer, so I do feel like I deserve this year. I’m bringing that mentality to the state tournament.”
In Division III, Snowflake’s Devin Kinlicheenie (52-1) is seeking a three-peat in the 215 pound-weight class.
In the Division II girls state meet, Chinle has a pair of wrestlers in the semifinals with Carli Jones (37-10) and Raidanna Sutton (31-7) advancing in the 126- and 132-pound weight classes while Window Rock’s Paige Kee (33-2) is moving forward in the 165-pound bracket.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow