THE REPUBLIC’S ALL-ARIZONA WRESTLING TEAM, COACH OF YEAR
This was an unprecedented year for Arizona high school wrestling. Breakthroughs. Historic moments. Dominating performances, one in which the AIA approved a petition from two top female wrestlers to compete against boys for 2023-24.
Here is The Arizona Republic’s All-Arizona High School Boy’s Wrestling Team for the 2023-24 season. The 12 wrestlers were chosen for their performances in boys wrestling competition in 2023-24 and are nominees for the wrestler of the year, which will be announced at the Arizona High School Sports Awards, sponsored by Diamond Kitchen & Bath, on June 17 at Arizona Financial Theater in downtown Phoenix. The show is produced in partnership with Western States Home Services. (Players are listed alphabetically, followed by honorable mentions.)
Arizona Republic’s All-Arizona Boys Wrestling Team
Sean Archuleta, pounds, Sr.
He went 29-5 and won the Division I championship. During the season, he beat the Division II and III champions.
Xavier Chavez, Eloy Santa Cruz, 144, Fr.
He gave Sunnyside champion Sergio Vega the first loss of his high school career. Went on to win the Division IV state championship. Finished with a 35-1 record.
Giosue Hickman, Canyon View, 138 pounds, Sr.
He went 29-3 and was the Division II state champion.
Israel Ibarra, Santa Cruz, 175, Jr.
He went 38-0 and captured the Division II crown. Won the Flowing Wells title. Committed to North Carolina.
Audrey Jimenez, Tucson Sunnyside, 106 pounds, Sr.
She is the first female in the history of Arizona Interscholastic Association to capture a state championship competing against boys. Just to get permission from the AIA before the season to compete on the boys team was a major breakthrough (along with Desert Vista’s Everest Leydecker, an honorable mention below). Then, to win the Division I title in the boys state championships, took on historic proportions never seen before. She is among the top female wrestlers in the country, but included on this list because she competed, with great success, on the boys’ side.
Pablo Macias, Glendale Ironwood, 157, Sr.
He put together a 50-2 record and won his third Division II state championship.
William Moore, Marana, 113 pounds, Sr.
He went a remarkable 63-0 this season, winning his weight class at state and setting a new standard of dominance at Marana.
Nicholas Pina, Sunnyside, 165, Jr. He went 33-3 with only losses against out-of-state opponents. Won his second Division I state championship.
Gabriel Ramirez, Waddell Canyon View, 120 pounds, Jr.
A three-time state champion, he went 41-4. His only losses came against nationally ranked, out-of-state opponents. Carlos Stanton, Sunnyside, 150, Sr. He went 35-1, captured his second straight Division I title. Only loss came out of state. Ranked as high as No. 10 in the country.
Sergio Vega, Sunnyside, 144, Jr.
He won the Division I state championship and finished 34-1. He is a threetime state champion.
Aidan Ysaguirre, Santa Cruz, 215, Jr. He went 38-0. Was the Division IV state champion. He won the Flowing
Sunnyside, 126
Wells tournament. Pinned two-time state champion Kayden Luke of Canyon del Oro. Nationally ranked at 18th.
Honorable mention
Aaron Callirgos, Gilbert Highland, 132, Sr.; Everest Leydecker, Desert Vista, 120, So; Lucas Mata, Sunnyside, 190, Sr.; Jacob Acedo, Marana Mountain View,
heavyweight, Sr.; C.J. Ramirez, Canyon View, 106, Fr.; Che Jenkins, Salpointe Catholic, 113, Jr.; Daniel Guerrero, Sahuarita, 120, Jr.; Zachary Bates, Sahuarita Walden Grove, 126, Sr.; Pedro Mendoza, Walden Grove, 132, Jr.; Travis Cardenas, Chandler, 138, So.; Noah Torres, Morenci, 150, Sr.; Breck Williams, Morenci, 157, Sr.; Gabe Gallardo, Sahuarita, 157, Jr.; Enzo Morales, Walden Grove, 165, Sr.;
Delton Kaufman, Mesa Mountain View, 175, So.; Sir Friday, Canyon View, 190, Sr.; Kayden Luke, Canyon del Oro, 215, Sr.; Zayne Candelaria, Sunnyside, heavyweight, So.
Coach of the Year
Joey View
Ortiz, Canyon
After coming a pointand-a-half short of capturing the Division II championship last season
— a second straight season Canyon View finished runnerup — he pushed the team to win its first state championship this season with 217 points, well ahead of runnerup Yuma Kofa (160). His team placed 10th at the tough Reno Tournament of Champions in Nevada during the season.
“Last year was an absolute kick in the gut as we lost the lead in second-to-last match of the night,” Ortiz said. “So this group had a very hard lesson to learn in terms of not focusing on winning, focus on wrestling to the best of your ability and everything else is a bonus.
“This season this team just went out and wrestled without a care of winning or losing, just focused on having fun and wrestling to the best of their abilities,” Ortiz added. “We have a saying that we start every practice and every competition with: ‘I am thankful for the opportunity to wrestle.’ I am grateful for my assistants, the kids in this program, our wrestling boosters, and everyone else who has helped this team get to the top of the mountain.”