Area qualifiers number nine, two as champions
By Raymundo Frasquillo
TUCSON – Nine area qualifiers will be taking part in the two-day girls Division II state wrestling meet, beginning on Friday, Feb. 20. The top four placers from each of the four sectional meets qualified for the state meet at the Arizona Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum, 1826 W. McDowell Rd. A total of 192 competitors qualified, four in each of the 12 weight classes.
Morenci senior Cynthia Martinez (185) and Thatcher freshman Alannah Simoneaux (107) enter as unbeaten Section IV champions; Thatcher junior Addison Stone (100, 2-1, 2 pins) and Pima sophomore Josie McEuen (126, 2-1, 2 pins) as section runners-up; Morenci freshman Lailani Strong (100), Willcox freshman Katelyn Millenaar (120, 5-1, 3 pins), and Morenci sophomores Peytin Corbell (126, 3-1, 3 pins) and Taytum Porter (152, 3-1, 3 pins) were each third; and Pima sophomore Maelee Woods (185, 2-2, 1 pin) fourth.
Qualifying meets were held on Feb. 7, with Section I at Avondale Agua Fria, Section II at Phoenix Moon Valley, Section III at Winslow, and Section IV at Tucson Amphitheater.
Division II – Section IV (Feb. 7)
Thirty-three schools were represented, and 140 entrants competed for the top four slots in each weight class on Feb. 7. The Tucson Amphitheater campus was the site of the Division II – Section IV state qualifying meet.
There were 17 at 114, 15 at 132, 14 at 120, 13 at 126, 138, and 145, 11 at 107 and 152, 10 at 100 and 165, eight at 185, and five at 235.
The top three teams were Queen Creek Crismon first with 10 entrants scoring 180 points, Tucson Salpointe Catholic second (93.5 pts., 10 entrants), and Morenci third (77, 5). Crismon had eight qualifiers, three champions, three runners-up, a third placer, and a fourth placer; Salpointe had five qualifiers, a runner-up, a third placer, and three fourth placers; and Morenci had four qualifiers, a champion, and three third placers.
Morenci – 3rd (77 points, 4/5 qualified)
Morenci earned 77 points to finish in third place as a team, and four of the five Wildcats qualified for the state meet. There was a lone non-placer.
Senior Cynthia Martinez (185, 3-0, 3 pins) was first; freshman Lailani Strong (100, 3-1, 2 pins) along with sophomores Peytin Corbell (126, 3-1, 3 pins) and Taytum Porter (152, 3-1, 3 pins) were each third; and sophomore Izabella Marquez-Curiel (132, 1-2) did not place. All five Wildcats earned team points with Martinez contributing 24 points, Corbell and Porter both with 18, Strong 16, and Marquez-Curiel one.
It was the fourth consecutive title for Martinez (11-0, 10 pins), also going 2-0 with a pin in 2025 (D-II, S-IV), 3-0 with three pins in 2024 (D-II, S-II), and 3-0 with three pins in 2023 (D-I, S-VIII). Corbell is 7-1 with five pins, Porter 6-2 with four pins, and Marquez-Curiel 3-4 with two pins, each after two sectionals.
Individually, Martinez (185, 3-0, 3 pins) pinned Douglas sophomore Sofia Ramirez in 24 seconds during the quarterfinals, Tucson Salpointe Catholic junior Renatta Peraza in 1:12 during the semifinals, and San Tan Valley Poston Butte in 1:56 for the title.
Strong (100, 3-1, 2 pins) received a first round bye, pinned Tucson Desert View junior Joanna Pilant in 49 seconds during the quarterfinals, was pinned in 36 seconds by Vail Mica Mountain senior Laila Beltran during the semifinals, pinned Coolidge freshman Leyla Ochoa Cervilla in 48 seconds during the consolation semifinals, and decisioned Queen Creek Crismon freshman Kourtney Azul 12-7 for third place.
Corbell (126, 3-1, 3 pins) received a first-round bye, pinned Salpointe junior Iliana Land in 57 seconds during the quarterfinals, was pinned by Crismon sophomore Tynlee Peterson in 1:24 during the semifinals, and pinned Sahuarita Walden Grove senior Jayden Gonzales in 1:41 during the consolation semifinals and Vail Empire sophomore Taliah Ernst in 35 seconds for third place.
Porter (152, 3-1, 3 pins) received a first-round bye, pinned Desert View junior Jaisa Flores in 1:06 during the quarterfinals, was pinned by Tucson Sahuaro senior Karlie Schneider in 5:21 during the semifinals, pinned Mica Mountain freshman Nalani Garcia-Gutierrez in 1:44 during the consolation semifinals, and pinned Salpointe sophomore Eleora De Rollo in 4:20 for third place.
Marquez-Curiel (132, 1-2) was pinned by Tucson Amphitheater senior Talisa Yrigolla in 2:00 during the first round, decisioned Sahuaro freshman Aurelia Aguirre 4-1 during the consolation first round, and was decisioned 1-6 by Salpointe junior Karilen Flores during the consolation second round.
Thatcher tied for 6th (66 points, 2/7 qualified)
Thatcher tied with Sahuarita for sixth, both scoring 66 points, qualified two of seven entrants for the state meet, and four Eagles contribute scoring.
Freshman Alannah Simoneaux (107, 3-0, 2 pins) emerged as a champion, and junior Addison Stone (100, 2-1, 2 pins) was second.
Non-qualifiers included junior Abigail Reyes (114, 3-2, 3 pins), sophomore Alyssa Poague (132, 3-2, 3 pins), sophomore Kamden Bryce (120, 0-2), sophomore Elika Gonzales (126, 0-2), and freshman Adalyn Spitzer (145, 0-2). Simoneaux had 24 points, Stone 20, Reyes 12, and Poague 10.
Simoneaux (107, 3-0, 2 pins) received a first-round bye, pinned Mica Mountain sophomore Cyrene Martinez in 5:22 during the quarterfinals and Desert View senior Emma Bodilla in 1:21 during the semifinals, and decisioned Coolidge senior Jolene Ostrander 9-3 for the title.
Stone (100, 2-1, 2 pins) received a first-round bye, pinned Salpointe sophomore Hope Escamilla in 1:55 during the quarterfinals, and pinned Crismon freshman Kourtney Azul in 44 seconds during the semifinals before being pinned in 53 seconds by Mica Mountain senior Laila Beltran for the title.
Reyes (114, 3-2, 3 pins) pinned Coolidge freshman Diosa Walker in 13 seconds during the first round, was pinned by Crismon junior Kiara Minjarez in 2:40 during the quarterfinals, pinned Tucson Cholla junior Lyndsy Pratt in 1:20 during the consolation fourth round and Pima sophomore Brenna Taylor during the consolation fifth round, fell by a 0-12 major decision to Sahuarita freshman Iliana Rodriguez during the consolation semifinals.
Poague (132, 3-2, 3 pins) pinned Sahuaro freshman Aurelia Aguirre in 4:35 during the first round, was pinned in 3:58 by Amphitheater senior Talisa Yrigolla during the quarterfinals, pinned Desert View sophomore Hailey Rue in 42 seconds during the consolation second round and Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic junior Maria Martinez in 2:21 during the consolation third round before being pinned in 2:26 by Benson senior Karlene Scott during the consolation semifinal.
Bryce (120, 0-2) was pinned in 3:37 by Pima freshman Emma Loveless during the first round and forfeited to Willcox freshman Katelyn Millenaar during the consolation second round.
Gonzales (126, 0-2) fell by a 10-29 technical fall to Mica Mountain junior Nina Kushner during the first round and by a pin in 2:07 to Walden Grove senior Jayden Gonzales during the consolation second round.
Spitzer fell by a 1-14 major decision to Tombstone sophomore Jordyn Gilbert during the first round and by a 7-9 decision to Douglas freshman Liana Rivera during the consolation second round.
Pima – 9th (38 points, 2/4 qualified)
The Roughriders placed ninth with 38 points as two of four entrants qualified for the state meet.
Sophomore Josie McEuen (126, 2-1, 2 pins) was a runner-up, junior Maelee Woods (185, 2-2, 1 pin) placed fourth, and junior Brenna Taylor (114) and sophomore Emma Loveless (120) were non-qualifiers. McEuen contributed 20 points, Taylor and Woods nine apiece, and Loveless four.
McEuen (126, 2-1, 1 pin) received a first-round bye, pinned Walden Grove senior Jayden Gonzales in 1:23 during the quarterfinals, and Empire sophomore Taliah Ernst in 43 seconds during the semifinals. She was pinned in 1:57 by Crismon sophomore Tynlee Peterson during the title bout.
Woods (185, 2-2, 1 pin) pinned Winkelman Hayden freshman Destiny Lacey in 47 seconds during the quarterfinals, was decisioned 11-15 by Poston Butte junior Claire Waddell during the semifinals, decisioned Florence senior Tatiana McKissack 10-4 during the consolation semifinals, and forfeited to Salpointe junior Renetta Peraza to place fourth.
Taylor (114, 2-2, 2 pins) received a first round bye, pinned Florence junior Madison Traynor in 55 seconds during the second round, was pinned in 2:47 by Sabino senior Nia Luna during the quarterfinals, pinned Mica Mountain sophomore Adelysse Perez in 1:36 during the consolation fourth round, and was pinned by Thatcher junior Abigail Reyes in 2:17 during the consolation fifth round.
Loveless (120, 1-2, 1 pin) pinned Thatcher sophomore Kamden Bryce in 3:37 during the first round, and fell by a 1-16 technical fall to Crismon senior Roxy Robinson during the quarterfinals and to Coolidge sophomore Natalie Gregory by pin in 2:27 during the consolation second round.
Willcox – tied for 16th (30 points, 1/3 qualified)
Willcox finished tied for 16th with 30 points and qualified one of three for the state meet. The Cowgirls had a third placer and two non-placers. All three Cowgirls contributed to the team’s scoring.
Freshman Katelyn Millenaar (120, 5-1, 3 pins) placed third, and both junior Lilyana Millenaar (138, 2-2, 2 pins) and sophomore Ellis Truschke (132, 1-2) did not place. Katelyn Millenaar had 21 points, Lilyana Millenaar seven, and Truschke two.
Katelyn Millenaar (120, 5-1, 3 pins) pinned Coolidge sophomore Natalie Gregory in 49 seconds during the first round, was pinned by Salpointe junior Zulay Osuna in 1:23 during the quarterfinals, received a forfeit from Thatcher sophomore Kamden Bryce during the consolation second round, pinned Sabino freshman Josephine Barnett in 4:27 during the consolation third round, posted a 17-4 major decision over Benson sophomore Savannah Meza during the consolation semifinals, and pinned Empire junior Theresa Etchen for third place.
Lilyana Millenaar (138, 2-2, 2 pins) pinned Elfrida Valley Union junior Jaylee Valdez in 4:00 during the first round, was pinned in 3:32 by Sahuaro senior Karlie Schneider during the quarterfinals, pinned Tombstone senior Ella Sweeny during the consolation second round, and was pinned in 3:32 by Desert View junior Jaisa Flores during the consolation third round.
Truschke (132, 1-2) decisioned Sabino freshman Sophia Sciortino 7-3 during the first round, was pinned in 1:41 by Benson senior Karlene Scott during the quarterfinals, and was pinned in 3:00 by San Manuel freshman Annie Nemons during the consolation second round.
Safford tied for 29th (8 points, none/2 qualified)
Two freshmen, Alaya Acosta (152, 1-2, 1 pin) and Lyla Lester (165, 1-2, 1 pin), scored four points apiece but neither qualified for the state meet, being eliminated after three matches.
Acosta (152, 1-2, 1 pin) pinned Tucson Cholla senior Victoria Enriquez in 38 seconds, was pinned in 1:07 by Poston Butte senior Rianna Tate during the quarterfinals, and in 2:08 by Florence freshman Betty Ramirez during the consolation second round.
Lester (165, 1-2, 1 pin) pinned Mica Mountain junior Savannah Patterson in 3:43 during the first round, was pinned in 40 seconds by Coolidge senior Zoey Cleghorn during the quarterfinals, and in 1:22 by Hayden senior Penelope Cruz during the consolation second round.
Team Placements
Queen Creek Crismon captured the Division II – Section IV team title with 180 points. Eight of 10 Rattlers placed, three in first, three as runners-up, one in third, and one in fourth; and all 10 contributed to the team scoring.
Tucson Salpointe Catholic was second with 93.5 points with five of 10 Lancers placing, one in second, one in third, and three in fourth; Morenci third (77 pts., 4/5 entrants placed), Vail Mica Mountain fourth (72.5, 2/10), San Tan Valley Poston Butte fifth (67.5, 3/4), Sahuarita (66, 3/5) and Thatcher (66, 2/7) tied for sixth, Coolidge eighth (64.5, 3/6), Pima ninth (42, 2/4), and Benson (39, 1/4).
Florence (38, 2/7) and Tucson Sahuaro (38, 2/3) tied for 11th, Sahuarita Walden Grove 13th (34, 1/5), Tucson Sabino 14th (31.5, 0/7), Vail Empire 15th (31, 2/3), Florence American Leadership – Anthem South (30, 1/3) and Willcox (30, 1/3) tied for 16th, Tombstone 18th (23.5, 1/4), Tucson Desert View 219th (22.5, 0/5), and Rio Rico 20th (22, 1/1).
Tucson Amphitheater was 21st (20, 1/1), Tucson Catalina Foothills (18, 1/4) and Saint David (18, 1/1) tied for 22nd, Winkelman Hayden (17, 1/3) and San Tan Valley San Tan Foothills (17, 0/4) tied for tied for 24th, San Manuel 26th (14, 0/3), Tucson Andrada Polytechnic 27th (13, 0/2), Douglas 28th (11, 0/4), and Safford (8, 0-2) and Elfrida Valley Union (8, 0/4) tied for 29th.
Tucson Saint Augustine Catholic was 31st (6.5.0, 0/1), Tucson Cholla 32nd (4, 0/3), and Tucson Catalina (zero, 0/1) and Tucson Palo Verde Magnet (zero, 0/1) tied for 33rd.
2026 Section IV Individual Champions
The other 11 Division II – Section IV individual champions were Mica Mountain junior Laila Beltran (100, 3-0, 3 pins), Thatcher freshman Alannah Simoneaux (107, 3-0, 2 pins), American Leadership – Anthem South junior Skylar Kool (114, 4-0, 4 pins), Crismon senior Roxy Robinson (120, 3-0, 3 pins), Crismon sophomore Tynlee Peterson (126, 3-0, 3 pins), Crismon freshman Skylie Senken (132, 4-0, 3 pins), Poston Butte junior Juliana DeMarco (138, 3-0, 3 pins), Walden Grove sophomore Isabella Santa Maria (145, 3-0, 3 pins), Poston Butte senior Rianna Tate (152, 3-0, 2 pins), Sahuarita freshman Giselle Mendez (165, 3-0, 1 pin), and Rio Rico junior Jessence Octavio-Callejo (2-0, 1 pin).
De Marco (132, 3-0, 3 pins) and Octavio-Callejo (235, 3-0, 3 pins) were also section champions in 2025.
Tucson Salpointe Catholic has the most entrants with 10, and Rio Rico, Saint David, and Tucson schools Amphitheater, Catalina, Palo Verde Magnet, and Saint Augustine Catholic have the fewest with one apiece.
