Coconino wrestler captures third tournament win

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Jan 11, 2024 | Wrestling |

JOSEPH CITY, Ariz. – Coconino senior Devin Williams leaned on his experience to overcome a sluggish start during the two-day Joseph City wrestling tournament.

The Coconino grappler experienced an off-moment on the opening day when he dropped a match versus Mogollon’s Kaleb Porter, his second loss of the season.

“He beat me the first day, but I wasn’t feeling good yesterday,” Williams said on Saturday. “I’ve wrestled him four times now. The first two times I beat him and he caught me the third time, but I knew I could have beaten him.”

The two wrestlers met in Saturday’s 138-pound finals. In the rematch, Williams displayed his wrestling prowess by scoring a 12-5 decision over the Mogollon wrestler.

In the opening period, the Coconino wrestler had three takedowns, with Porter coming up with an escape in two of those moves for a 6-2 lead for Williams.

In the second period, Williams chose the neutral position and he added another takedown for the period’s only two points.

In the third period, Williams outscored Porter 4-3, which included a couple of escapes to score the 12-5 decision.

“This feels good to win this tournament,” the Diné wrestler said. “I’ve been wrestling for a while, so it’s good to be winning again.”

Williams pushed his record to 30-2, earning his third tournament win. Earlier this season, he captured the titles at the Mountain View Marana and the Show Low tournaments.

“My season has been good,” Williams said. “You know, I stopped wrestling for two years. I didn’t wrestle my freshmen or sophomore year and I came back last year.”

In his first prep season, as a junior, Williams finished with a 33-15 record and came up one match short of making the Arizona Division III state wrestling meet during the sectional meet.

“I beat the kid that won second at state last year,” Williams said of Mesquite’s Eli Conde. “I just didn’t wrestle good at sectionals to make state. I’m working hard to make state this year.

“It’s a goal for me to be there,” he added. “I know that I can win it (this year). I just need to keep working.”