By Raymundo Frasquillo
MORENCI – Morenci has the first of six scheduled wrestling meets in December on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Expected to attend are Benson, Bisbee, and Tucson Andrada Polytechnic. Weight-ins are at 2 p.m. and competition begins at 3 p.m.
The Casey Woodall-coached 2026 Wildcats number 21 with four seniors, four juniors, eight sophomores, and five freshmen. Eight post-season placers are among them, four at the state meet and another four at the section meet.
Team members include seniors Dean Chee, Isaiah Cook, Kiano Torres, and Merrick Williams; juniors Zahia Cano-Nabor, Emerson Montes, Jesse Strickland, and Hector Vasquez; sophomores Jeremiah Cano, James Davis V, Jase Morgan, Ryder Nelson, Joseph Rodriguez, Anthony Sanchez, Joshwa Sandoval, and Ryder Wyatt; and freshmen Jacob Goodwin, Marcus Morgan, Damian Paz, Joshua Roybal, and Caden Woodall.
Morenci follows its season-opening meet with the 2-day Mesa Red Mountain-held Nate Johnson Memorial Duels on Dec. 5-6, the Globe Multi-Meet on Dec. 10, the Willcox Multi-Meet on Dec. 11, the 2-day Marana Duels, and the Morenci Christmas Clash on Dec. 20.
The Wildcats have earned 10 team state titles with 76 individual champions, 75 boys and one girl, during the programs’ 52 years.
Morenci has finished in the Division IV top five in each of the most recent 12 seasons (2014-25), with the lowest being fifth during Woodall’s initial season in 2014 and again in 2025. The Wildcats were third (2024), runners-up four times (2015, 2018, 2019, 2020), and champions five times (2016-17, 2021-23).
2025 MORENCI – 5th at state (113 points)
Morenci placed fifth with 113 points as six of 13 Wildcats placed during the 2025 state meet, one as a runner-up, four in third, and one in sixth. Ten Wildcats contributed to the team scoring.
The placers were freshman Ryder Nelson (106, 4-1, 1 pin), junior Merrick Williams (132, 4-1, 3 pins) and sophomore Emerson Motes (144, 5-1, 1 pin) third; and junior Isaiah Cook (285, 2-3, 1 pin) sixth. Each added team scoring, Williams 20 points, Ryder Nelson 18, Motes 16, and Cook 10.
Class of 2025 members Hollis Corbell (190, 3-1, 2 pins) placed second, Trent Nelson (126, 5-1) third, and senior Omar Torres (150, 1-2) did not place. Corbell added 21.5 points, Trent Nelson 15, and Omar Torres 3.0.
Not placing were freshmen Jeremiah Cano, (113, 0-2), Anthony Sanchez (120, 0-2), Luz Hernandez (175, 1-2, 1 pin), and James Davis (215, 1-2, 1 pin); sophomore Joel Baca (165, 0-2); and junior Kiano Torres (138, 1-2, 1 pin). Kiano Torres added 3.5 team points, and both Davis and Hernandez 3.0.
Section IV Team State Placements (Scoring)
Section IV champion Morenci was fifth with 113 points, Pima sixth (97.5), Thatcher eighth (61), Willcox 17th (38.5), Benson 18th (36.5), Eagar Round Valley tied for 25th (19), Elfrida Valley Union 30th (13), Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic 32nd (11.5), and Bisbee 38th (6).
San Manuel was 43rd (3.5) while Saint David, Tombstone, and Tucson schools Andrada Polytechnic, Catalina, Santa Rita, and The Gregory School did not score.
2025 MORENCI – 1st in section (249.5 points)
The champions were freshman Ryder Nelson (106, 2-0, 2 pins), freshman Anthony Sanchez (120, 3-0, 3 pins), junior Kiano Torres (138, 4-0, 4 pins), sophomore Emerson Motes (144, 3-0, 2 pins), and senior Hollis Corbell (190, 2-0, 2 pins).
Senior Trent Nelson (126, 2-1, 2 pins), sophomore Merrick Williams (132, 2-1, 1 pin), and junior Isaiah Cook (285, 2-1, 2 pins) were second; senior Omar Torres (150, 4-1, 4 pins) third; freshman Jeremiah Cano, (113, 2-2, 2 pins), sophomore Joel Baca (165, 2-2, 1 pin), freshman Luz Hernandez (175, 1-2), and freshman James Davis (215, 2-2, 2 pins) fourth; and freshman Treyson Scalise (157, 1-2, 1 pin) did not place.
All 14 Wildcats contributed team scoring, with Kiano Torres adding 28 points, Sanchez 26, Motes 25, Corbell 24, Ryder Nelson 23.5, Cook 20, Trent Nelson 19.5, Omar Torres and Williams 18, Cano and Davis 13, Baca 11, Hernandez 7.0, and Scalise 3.5.
Division IV – Section IV Champions
None of the Section IV champions, five from Morenci, four from Pima, two from Thatcher, and one each from Benson, Round Valley, and Willcox ended as state champions.
Morenci freshman Ryder Nelson (106, 4-1, 1 pin) was third, Pima freshman Aiden Espinoza (113, 3-2, 2 pins) fourth, Morenci freshman Anthony Sanchez (120, 0-2) did not place, Benson sophomore Kolttin Deskins (126, 2-3, 2 pins) sixth, Round Valley junior Mason Orona (132, 2-3, 2 pins) sixth, Morenci junior Kiano Torres (138, 1-2, 1 pin) third, Morenci sophomore Emerson Motes (144, 5-1, 1 pin) third, Pima senior Kodi Ferguson (150, 2-2, 1 pin) did not place, Pima senior Kutter Beals (157, 4-2, 4 pins) fourth, Thatcher senior Tristun Brown (165, 3-1, 3 pins) second, Thatcher senior Madden MaGill (175, 3-1, 3 pins) second, Morenci senior Hollis Corbell (190, 3-1, 2 pins) second, Pima senior Brock Haws (215, 3-1, 2 pins) second, and Willcox senior Travis Larson (285, 3-2, 1 pin) fifth.
2026 MORENCI GIRLS
There are six girls in the program this season, senior Cynthia Martinez, sophomores Peytin Corbell, Izabella Marquez-Curiel, Aubry Porter, and Taytum Porter, and freshman Lailani Strong.
The 2025 season records were 34-3 with 30 pins for Martinez, 34-11 with 27 pins for Taytum Porter, 9-4 with seven pins for Corbell, and 8-30 with eight pins for Marquez-Curiel. State meet team points scored were 30 by Martinez, six by Corbell, and three by Taytum Porter. The section team points had Corbell contributing 25, Taytum Porter 20, Martinez 19, and Marquez-Curiel seven.
Together, the four returnees placed fifth in the section with 71 points and the three qualifiers’ 39 points tied for 11th with Chinle, Kingman Lee Williams, and Show Low.
Martinez earned the school’s initial girls state title at 185 pounds (4-0, 4 pins), following a 2024 runner-up (3-1, 3 pins) and 2023 sixth place (4-2, 2 pins) finish, both at 165 lbs. She also earned with three consecutive section titles, Division II-Section IV (2-0, 2 pins) as a junior, Division II-Section III (4-0, 4 pins) as a sophomore, and Division I-Section VIII (3-0, 3 pins) as a freshman. Her combined post-season marks are 19-4 with 16 pins, 10-4 with eight pins for three state meets and 9-0 with eight pins for three sectionals.
Corbell entered the state meet as the 126 section champion (4-0, 2 pins) but did not place (2-2, 2 pins), Taytum Porter entered the state meet as the section 138 lb. runner-up (3-1, 1 pin) but did not place (1-2), and Marquez-Curiel did not place during the sectional, going 2-2 with 2 pins at 132.
Aubry Porter and Strong are in their initial wrestling season.
The Wildcats have competed in two meets to date, the Poston Butte-held Arizona Cup on Nov. 29 and the Willcox Jamboree on Dec. 1.
Morenci closes out the first week of December in the 2-day Tucson Pueblo-held William Bell Invitational on Dec. 5-6, participates in the Coolidge Multi on Dec. 9, and closes out the month in the 2-day Marana-held Tiger Duels on Dec. 12-13.
Willcox Jamboree, Dec. 1
A dozen teams joined host Willcox, including Douglas, Morenci, Pima, Saint David, San Carlos, Thatcher, Tombstone, and Elfrida Valley Union along with Tucson schools Empire, Rincon/University, Sahuaro, and Santa Rita.
Complete results were unavailable.
Arizona Cup, Nov. 29 – 16th (52 points)
Morenci scored 52 to place 16th of 38 teams participating in the Poston Butte-held Arizona Cup on Nov. 29.
Individually, Martinez (185, 4-1, 4 pins) placed second and contributed 24 team points, Taytum Porter (145, 4-1, 3 pins) fifth with 15 team points, Strong (107, 3-1, 3 pins) 10th with seven points, and Colbell (126, 3-1, 3 pins) 10th with six points. Aubry Porter (0-4) finished 17th and did not score team points.
Martinez pinned Marana senior Sidney Campos in 21 seconds during the first round, Mica Mountain junior Zita Glenn in 1:16 during the second round, Boulder Creek senior Alliyah Silva in 41 seconds during the quarterfinals, and Red Mountain freshman Jalysa Berry in 2:04 during the semifinals. Somerton freshman Annette Preston posted an 11-3 major decision for the title.
Taytum Porter succumbed by an 8-12 decision to Boulder Creek senior Emma Corley during the first round, pinned Mica Mountain freshman Nalani Garcia-Gutierrez in 53 seconds during the second round, Williams Field sophomore Alaya Felix in 14 seconds during the third round, and Florence junior Sadi George in 2:35 during the consolation round. Basha senior Juliannna Arivizu was decisioned 4-2 for fifth place.
Corbell posted a 15-0 technical fall over Lee Williams sophomore Jenna Wayman, was pinned in 1:44 by Basha sophomore Hannah Naccrati-Cholo during the second round, and recorded a 15-0 technical fall over Cienega junior Amaya Lelafu during the third round and a 16-0 technical fall over Arizona College Prep sophomore Alexis Owen during the semifinals.
Strong was pinned by Yuma Catholic senior Khyla Lipumano during the first round, posted a 15-0 technical fall over Marana freshman Kinley Stougl during the second round, pinned Yuma Catholic sophomore Heather Smith in 34 seconds during the consolation first round, and recorded a 16-0 technical fall over Payson frehman Brylee Young during the consolation second round.
Aubry Porter was pinned in 37 seconds by Queen Creek American Leadership senior Zenna Heintz during the second round, in 43 seconds by Sahuarita senior Keeley Smith during the third round, in 1:02 by Williams Field junior Brylee Wray during the fourth round, and in 1:13 by Winterhaven San Pasqual senior Angelene Ashby during the sixth round.
Mesa Red Mountain finished first with 137 points, Peoria Liberty second (132), Gilbert Campo Verde third (120), Marana fourth (113.5), Vail Cienega fifth (103.5), Sahuarita sixth (85), Yuma Catholic seventh (82), Anthem Boulder Creek eighth (74.5), Sierra Vista Buena ninth (71.5), and Poston Butte 10th (71).
Somerton was 11th (65), Phoenix Sandra Day O’Conner 12th (61.5), Chandler Basha 13th (60), Gilbert Willaims Field 14th (59), Vail Mica Mountain 15th (56), Morenci 16th (52), Florence 17th (43.5), Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin 18th (42), Kingman Lee Williams 19th (40), and Phoenix Mountain Pointe 20th (36.5).
Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge was 21st (34.5), Glendale Deer Valley 22nd (33.5), Chandler Arizona College Prep and Tucson Pueblo tied for 23rd (31), California Winterhaven San Pasqual 25th (28), Queen Creek American Leadership, Rio Rico, and Tempe McClintock tied for 26th (24), Fountain Hills 29th (21), and Mesa Westwood 30th (15.5).
Tombstone was 31st (12.5), Globe and Payson tied for 32nd (12), San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills 34th (10), Apache Junction, Glendale Copper Canyon, and Mesa Skyline tied for 35th (4), and Gilbert North American Leadership did not score.
Six teams had double-figure entrants, Marana with 17, Red Mountain 16, Cienega 14, Sandra Day O’Conner and Mica Mountain 13 apiece, and Basha 12; four had nine apiece, three had eight, five had seven, five had six, three had five, three had four, three had three, two had two, and four had one.
