D-I state wrestling preview

February 7, 2018 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Sunnyside's Roman Bravo-Young looks to finish a perfect 4-year career this week (Andy Morales/AzPreps365)

Sunnyside down in wrestling? A little in recent years. Very little. The Blue Devils appear primed to rule the Division I roost come Friday night when the two-day state meet concludes at Prescott Valley Event Center.

Sunnyside hasn't brought home a first-place trophy in D-I since 2013. The last four years, however, the Blue Devils have been runner-up. Add state champs in 2011 and 2013 and six of the eight years this decade they've placed first or second. Sunnyside has 30 state championships in its history.

Sunnyside is led by the superlative Roman Bravo-Young, who is 178-0 in his career and needs two wins this week to break the state record for consecutive wins (179) held by Deer Valley's Jacob Swift (2013-2016). Bravo-Young signed a letter of intent last fall to attend Penn State.

Here's a look at the D-I tournament and schedule -- all at Prescott Valley Event Center -- Thursday Feb. 8 and Friday Feb. 9:

D-I's first session is Thursday at 10:30 a.m. After an afternoon break, session two begins at 6 p.m. Action shifts to a third session Friday at 10 a.m. with fourth and final session (medal rounds) slated to begin Friday at 7 p.m.

TEAM SECTION CHAMPS: Section 1 -- Desert Ridge by 16.5 points over Mesa Mountain View; Section 2 -- Cibola by 81.5 points over Boulder Creek; Section 3 -- Sunnyside by 73 points over Desert Vista; Section 4 -- Chandler by 26 points over Corona del Sol.

TEAMS WITH MOST QUALIFIERS/SECTION CHAMPS: Sunnyside - 13 qualifiers, 9 section champs; Cibola - 12 qualifiers, 7 section champs; Desert Ridge -- 12 qualifiers, 5 section champs; Chandler -- 14 qualifiers, 4 section champs; Corona del Sol - 13 qualifiers, 4 section champs; Kofa -- 10 qualifiers, 4 section champs; Mesa Mountain View -- 10 qualifiers, 3 section champs. 

DEFENDING STATE CHAMPIONS: Jesse Ybarra, Sunnyside, So. Ybarra won at 106 pounds in 2017, wrestling 113 this year; Manny Garcia, Sunnyside, Sr. Garcia won at 113 in 2017, wrestling 120 this year; Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside Sr. Bravo-Young 3-time champ winning at 106 (2015), 120 (2016) and 132 (2017), wrestling 132 this year; Jacob Garcia, Corona del Sol, Sr. Garcia won at 138 in 2017, wrestling at 152 this year; Tommy Mommer, Cibola, Sr. 2-time champs winning at 220 in 2016 and 2017 and wrestling 285 this year. Chandler transfers Gator Groves (145) and Marco Groves (160) are three-time state champs in D-II while competing at McClntock from 2015-2017. Gator Groves won at 120, 126 and 145 and Marco Groves at 132, 132 and 160. 

ANOTHER CHANCE AT BITE OF BIG APPLE: Six wrestlers finished runner-up in 2017 and return to climb one more rung on the ladder -- Chris Kelly, Chandler, So. 2nd at 106 last year, wrestling 126 this year; Vicente Loaiza, Sunnyside, Sr. 2nd at 120 last year, wrestling 126 this year; Angelo Pool, Tucson, Sr. 2nd at 126 last year, wrestling 138 this year; Aaron Gandara, Cibola, So. 2nd at 152 last year, wrestling 152 this year; Kashawn Crump-Valencia, Tucson, Sr. 2nd 182 last year, wrestling 182 this year; Jeremiah Hollen, Mesa Mtn. View, Jr. 2nd at 195 last year, wrestling 195 this year.

NO. 1 SEEDS: 106-pounds - Undefeated James Brown, Sunnyside, Fr.; 113 - Undefeated Jesse Ybarra, Sunnyside, So.; 120 -- Juan Manuel Garcis, Sunnyside, Sr.; 126 -- Chris Kelly, Chandler, So.; 132 -- Undefeated in career Roman Bravo-Young, Sunnyside, Sr.; 138 -- Tanner Waite, Highland, Sr.; 145 -- Gator Groves, Chandler, Sr.; 152 -- Jacob Garcia, Corona del Sol, Sr.; 160 -- Luke Jacobs, Brophy Prep, Sr.; 170 -- David Castaneda, Cibola, Sr.; 182 -- Kashawn Crump-Valencia, Tucson, Sr.; 195 -- Undefeated Mario Neblina, Cibola, Jr.;  220 -- Johnathun Garcia, Marana Mtn. View, Sr.; 285 -- Tommy Mommer, Cibola, Sr.

OUTLOOK: Along with its three defending champs and four No.1 seeds, Sunnyside has four others seeded No. 2 in their weights -- Loaiza (126), a two-time state runner-up; Aaron Rodriguez (138), Sebastian Mordecai (170) and Matt Rees (195). Sunnyside has a strong chance to dominate the lighter weights and there's enough elsewhere to make it tough on the entire field. Some might believe Sunnyside is the prohibiitive favorite, with so much top billing. Cibola and Chandler would like to think otherwise. Cibola, which finished third last year and won back-to-back team titles in D-II in 2014 and 2015, has three No. 1 seeds and two No. 2 seeds.Cibola's strength is the upper and middle weights. Sunnyside and Cibola are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds at 106, 170 and 195. Chandler qualified all 14 of its wrestlers and only two No. 1 seeds. The Wolves lineup is capable of several high-end placers. Desert Ridge and Kofa, given their number of qualifiers, are likely to be spoilers. The Jaguars and Kings sport no No. 1 seeds, but tough lineups.