Friday, March 29, 2024

Winslow junior earns third state medal

Winslow junior earns third state medal

PHOENIX

Rudy Gonzalez is a perfect 3-for-3.

The Winslow junior earned his third state medal on Saturday during the Arizona Division IV state wrestling meet.

Gonzalez took fourth at 215 pounds, losing his last match to Camp Verde wrestler Tristan Black in a fall.

Gonzalez finished the season at 13-4 overall.

“It feels good,” Gonzalez said of keeping his state medal streak alive. “I started wrestling in the eighth grade and I didn’t know how it was going to be. I feel like it has taught me a lot.”

Of his state medal haul, his best finish came during his sophomore season when he placed third last year. The year before that he took fifth.

“It feels good to place again, especially with the struggles I had this year,” he said. “I had to overcome a lot. I missed most of the season with a fractured foot.”

Going into the state meet, the Winslow grappler had 11 matches under his belt. He got back onto the wrestling mat a week before the state qualifying meet at sectionals.

“I missed a lot of tournaments and duals,” Gonzalez said. “It was very frustrating. I just wanted to get back to wrestling as soon as I could.”

With very limited mat time, Gonzalez said he started the season a little rusty.

“My first couple of matches were rough,” he said. “I didn’t think I started wrestling good until I got to state.”

In addition to Gonzalez, Winslow also got a second-place finish from Michael Romero at 113. In the finals, Romero came up short to San Manuel junior Raymond Garcia in an 11-4 decision.

Coconino wrestler

Navajo Times | Quentin Jodie
Coconino’s Prayer Young-Blackgoat captured the third-place medal at the Arizona Division III state wrestling meet on Saturday in Phoenix. Young-Black earned a 5-3 decision over Travis Mbuya of American Leadership Academy Ironwood in his final match.

In his state qualifying debut, Coconino wrestler Prayer Young-Blackgoat made a podium appearance.

The junior took third at 190 pounds during the Division III state meet on Saturday.

He earned a 5-3 decision over Travis Mbuya of American Leadership Academy Ironwood High School.

“This is pretty exciting,” said Young-Blackgoat, a Diné who has roots in the Flagstaff area. “I knew I was gonna to get to state. I just didn’t know I was gonna win my first two matches and automatically place.”

He made the semifinals before losing his first match to Prescott’s Cody Hanna by a 10-5 decision.

“He’s a good wrestler,” Young-Blackgoat said. “I tied it up and when the third period hit he had more experience wrestling under pressure.”

The 6-foot-3 wrestler closed out the state meet by winning his next two matches and finished with a 26-6 record.

“This is a hard sport,” he said. “I definitely had my ups and downs this year, but I think I’ll be back next year.”


About The Author

Quentin Jodie

Quentin Jodie is the Sports Editor for the Navajo Times. He started working for the Navajo Times in February 2010 and was promoted to the Sports Editor position at the end of summer in 2012. Previously, he wrote for the Gallup Independent. Reach him at qjodie@navajotimes.com

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