Raymundo Frasquillo Photo/Gila Herald: Senior Calvin Dunning works on getting an advantage on his Saint Johns’ opponent during a Dec. 10 home dual meet. He has pinned all four opponents faced in two meets.
By Raymundo Frasquillo
THATCHER – Morenci will be heading to its third duals competition of the season, the Thatcher Multi meet Dec. 11. Thus far, the Wildcats have been able to field a full team or an entrant in each of the 14 weight classes.
Trailing 35-36 with one match remaining, the 5-0 Wildcats slipped past Saint Johns 39-36 on the final bout Tuesday, Dec. 10. Sophomore 152-pounder Cody Torres (5-0, 1 pin) posted a 10-2 major decision to vault the Wildcats over the Redskins. He led 2-1 after the first period but went ahead to stay on a 6-1 second period, scoring an escape, takedown, and near fall.
Morenci earned 21 points by winning four of 11 head-to-head bouts, two by pins, one by technical fall (15 or more points), and one by a major decision. The losses were five by pin and two by decision (seven or fewer points). The Wildcats were also awarded 18 points on three forfeit wins.
Seventh-year Morenci head Coach Casey Woodall will down-play the win and say it is all preparation for the state qualifying meet later in the season. There is a great deal of work to be done until then. A set line-up is not in place yet. Individuals are in the process of gaining experience and earning a starting berth.
Seniors Steven Roybal (182, 5-0, 3 pins) and Omar Ortega (285, 5-0, 2 pins), and freshman Jordan Fernandez (106, 5-0, 3 pins) also are 5-0 in duals.
Roybal’s record includes three pins plus two forfeit wins; Ortega’s’ two pins, a 4-1 decision plus two forfeit wins, and Fernandez’ three pins plus two forfeit wins.
Five other Wildcats are also unbeaten in dual meets, senior Calvin Dunning (126, 4-0, 4 pins), junior Marcus Leonard (120, 3-0, 2 pins), sophomore Martin Smith (120, 2-0, 1 pin), freshman Jaeden Seballos (113, 2-0, 1 pin), and junior Conrad Aguallo (126, 1-0, 1 pin).
Three Wildcats have a lone loss in five bouts, senior Carlos Bray (132, 4-1, 2 pins) and sophomores Shawn Hudman (138, 4-1, 3 pins) and Brenden Enriquez (145, 4-1, 2 pins).
Others in the program and their early marks are sophomore Richard Trott III (170, 3-1, 1 pin), senior Dominick Gonzales (220, 1-1), juniors Joseph Hernandez (220, 2-1, 1 pin), sophomore Kaden Summer (152, 2-1), freshman Louie Lucero (113, 2-1, 1 pin), junior Jarret Saiz (160, 1-1, 1 pin), freshman Arthur Rodriguez (195, 2-2, 1 pin), and freshman Andrew Castillo (179, 0-1).
Benson Multi
Morenci left the Benson Multi with a 4-0 record Dec. 4, topping Bisbee 80-0, Saint David 84-0, Benson 56-23, and Tombstone 77-6. The Wildcats fielded an entrant in each of the 14 weight classes while Saint David had five, Bisbee seven, Tombstone 11, and Benson 12.
Twenty different Wildcats were listed in the official score sheets, with several leaving unscathed in 30 of 35 head-to-head bouts. The wins were by 25 pins, two technical falls, two major decisions, and a decision while the losses were by three pins, a technical fall, and a disqualification. Morenci received 21 forfeits wins.
Seven Wildcats posted 4-0 records, Hudman on three pins and a 14-5 major decision; Ortega on two pins, a 4-1 decision plus a forfeit; Bray on a pin, an 18-3 technical fall plus two forfeits; Roybal, Fernandez, and Enriquez each on two pins plus two forfeits; and Torres on a pin plus three forfeits.
Dunning went 3-0 on three pins; both Leonard and Smith 2-0 on a pin plus a 19-0 technical fall and a pin plus a 16-2 major decision, respectively; Aguallo, Saiz, and Seballos 1-0 on a pin each; and Gonzales 1-0 on a forfeit.
Six Wildcats had a lone loss, Trott (3-1) on a pin plus two forfeits and a loss by pin; Hernandez (3-1) on a pin plus two forfeits and a loss by disqualification; Lucero (2-1) on a pin plus a forfeit and a loss by pin; Rodriguez (2-1) on a pin plus a forfeit and a loss by pin; Summer (2-1) on two forfeits and a loss by a 0-15 technical fall; and Castillo (0-1) on a loss by pin.
