Tiger Takedown: Aztec Wrestling Newsletter #12 2017-2018 2/19/2018
The Team of d\destiny, after a 16 year drought, brought home the State Wrestling title once again to Aztec. With all the tragedy and conflict that this year’s team had to work through, they managed to put together an #AztecStrong performance at the Star Center in Rio Rancho and win the 2018 5-A State Championship. All 13 wrestlers scored important points towards the 195.5 total that was enough to win a State title for the 17th time. There are no heroics in winning a State title, those are left to the 1st responders and teachers, but there were courageous efforts this weekend. Examples were abundant, as Aztec Wrestler after Aztec Wrestler did their part. Senior Josiah Griego hit a 3 point tilt with 10 seconds left to beat a 2X defending State Champ from Capital. Bode Wooley, who was a JV wrestler just one month earlier, filled in for injured Dominic Dufur to place 3rd, and Zane Chapman, who was a JV wrestler, had his second knee surgery at the end of December, came back to fill in for an ineligible Varsity wrestler and place 3rd. Then Dominic Dufur, who was out for 5 weeks with separated ribs, moved up to 152# to fill in for a disciplined wrestler to place 4th. The line-up was filled with wrestlers doing courageous, out of their normal realm of things to get done what was needed. No, it was not a normal year. The season began surviving a tragedy. There were many high and many lows along the way but our wrestlers came together and decided it could be done; it would be done for themselves and all of Aztec.
2018 State 5-A Championships: Top 15 out of 22 Teams
1st Aztec Tigers 195.5 2nd Los Lunas Tigers 185.5 3rd Belen Eagles 151
4th Valencia Jaguars 135 5th Farmington Scorpions 128.5 6th Deming Wildcats 127
7th Los Alamos 110 7th Roswell Coyotes 110 9th Kirtland Broncos 102
10th Del Norte 100.5 11th Capital Jaguars 88 12th St. Pius X Sartans 79
13th Bloomfield Bobcats 73 14th Academy Chargers 52 15th Miyamura Patriots 42
Aztec Individual Results:
11th 106# Bella Wells 33-0 1st New Mexico Girls' State Champion
9th 106# Jaren McBride 37-12 12 pts 5th at State
9th 113# Dylan St. Vrain 30-15 4 pts no place
12th 120# Josiah Griego 46-6 28 pts State Champion
11th 126# Christian Robison 45-6 27 pts State Champion
10th 138# Zane Chapman 19-8 19 pts 3rd at State
10th 145# Bode Wooley 33-14 19.5pts 3rd at State
12th 152# Dominic Dufur 20-11 20 pts 4th at State
11th 160# Hunter Medina 31-15 16 pts 4th at State
11th 170# Logan Thorpe 35-14 20 pts 3rd at State
9th 182# Malcolm Altisi 28-18 3 pts no place
9th 195# Caleb Varzeas 31-17 16 pts 5th at State
12th 220# Jared O’Toole 26-22 7 pts no place
10th 285# DeAngelo Padilla 5-7 3 pts no place
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Next Wrestling Event: March 12th Aztec Wrestling Awards Banquet @6:00 pm @ AHS MPR
Aztec Wrestling Trivia: In the history of Aztec Wrestling, there has been only one set of AHS Father/Son State Champions: Lynn and Cole Blancett. This year, we added two more: JJ and Josiah Griego and Bryan and Christian Robison….Outstanding.