AIA sectional wrestling meet set for Saturday
Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie Monument Valley junior Joseph Rodriquez clutches the arm of Tuba City’s Rias Moreno in the 126-pound weight class at the Joseph City Invitational on Jan. 7 in this file photo. MV will have 12 wrestlers compete in Saturday’s sectional meet in Winslow.
WINDOW ROCK
The Monument Valley wrestling team will fill in 12 of 14 weight classes at Saturday’s Division IV, North Section II meet at Winslow High School.
The top four finishers will earn bids to next week’s state wrestling tournament, which will be held at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix.
“I have no doubt that we’ll get them qualified,” Monument Valley coach Chee BiNali said. “As a team, we looked at past (state) results, and last year we finished in the top 10.
“We set a goal of making it in the top 8,” he added. “That’s our goal, and we keep reminding them that they have to keep pushing themselves in the wrestling room, even though we have a small program.”
Several of this year’s prospects were state qualifiers last season, including Matthew Curley at 106 and Joseph Rodriquez at 126.
“Matthew took second, and Joseph took third at state last year,” BiNali said.
The first-year MV coach also has high hopes for freshman Justin Yazzie (120), Jaron
Anagal (132), and Brennen Bailey (138).
“Justin is a freshman, but he’s come from a good program,” BiNali said. “I think he has a good chance of placing at state.
“We see a lot of great potential from Jaron and Brennan,” he added.
The Winslow Bulldogs will have 10 wrestlers at Saturday’s sectional meet.
“We’re missing a couple of weight classes, but we should be solid,” Winslow coach Tom Breeze said.
And although he has a young team, the Bulldog coach said he’s hoping to get five wrestlers to state, which includes Rudy Gonzalez at 215 and Michael Romero at 113.
The two wrestlers were state placers last season, with Romero taking third and Gonzalez fifth.
“Hopefully, we can get them in the finals this year,” Breeze said.
Ganado is looking to get seven wrestlers to state, headed by Cimmaron Curley, who placed fifth at 106 last year at the state meet.
“I expect him to do very well,” Ganado coach Kevin Hubbard said of his pupil, who bumped up a weight class to 113.
Hubbard also has some high hopes for Cauy Curley (120), Dylon Denetso (132), and Wyatt James (138).
“We’re hoping to get them in the top 4 at sectionals,” he said. “They have a really good shot; they’ve had a great season.”
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow