There are some attributes in wrestling that come natural to some competitors.
It might be mat awareness, good with their hips, understanding leverage and hand fighting.
Sure, some of those can be taught or learned over time, but for the most part it is something that you have to have a natural feel for to be good at it.
When Campo Verde’s Nina Sandoval stepped on the wrestling mat for the first time in the seventh grade it was hardly her first time on a mat and some of those aspects of wrestling came natural to her.
Sandoval, who is the top seed at 160 with a 12-0 record for the state tournament, grew up on a mat as her parents own Carlson Gracie Ju Jitsu. The senior has a natural feel for body positioning, leverage, and some of the attributes it takes to be a good wrestler.
“She used to compete in (Ju Jitsu),” Campo Verde boys wrestling coach Chris Bishop said. “She has strength, experience, she is strong in the neutral position and can use her legs.”
Sandoval, who started Ju Jitsu when she was five-years-old, believes she's better because of it but has always tried to separate the two.
She finished third at state last year and has competed at Fargo nationals the last few years. Sandoval feels like there is only one way to finish her career.
Win the state title.
“I’m not nervous or anything; just excited,” she said. “(Finishing third last year) definitely has been a factor in my training. It makes me want more and motivates me.”
Sandoval is one of many accomplished wrestlers who qualified for the Arizona state wrestling tournament, which starts Friday and ends Saturday, at Mesquite High this weekend.
At 106, Ironwood’s Emily Porras is the returning state champ and is a Fargo All-American.
Also in the weight class are Liberty’s fourth-seed Bella Bocenagra, who finished third at the Reno Tournament of Champions, and Sunnyside’s Tatiana Hernandez, who finished fifth at state last season.
The sixth seed at 113 is Sunnyside freshman Audrey Jimenez, who is a 2019 Pan Am Champion and a USA Wrestling School Girls National Champion.
Joining her in the weight class is fourth seed Arianna Sarett, who finished fourth at state last season, and Casteel’s third seed Annaliese Kisting, who was the state runner-up last year.
At 126, Kofa’s Carolina Morena, who is ranked 16th in the nation, is the top seed and a two-time state champion, while Casteel’s Isabelle Munoz was a state runner-up last season.
At 132, a finals rematch might be in order as Barry Goldwater’s Bree Garcia was a state champion last year after beating Canyon del Oro's Mylei Seigla, who is the second seed, in the finals.
Garcia had three pins on the way to the finals and had a technical fall over Seigla in the finals at the state tournament.
Liberty senior Sara Schmoker is the top seed at 145 as she is a state runner-up, finished seventh at Junior Nationals and has been nationally ranked at No. 12.
In her weight class, is Skyline’s Julia Chambers, who is a returning state champion.
At 152, Taliyah Armstrong is a returning state champion and is the top seed.
The top seed at 195 is Westwood’s Stefany Valencia as she looks to win her first state tile and finishing fifth and third, respectively, the last two seasons.
Arizona Lutheran’s Naomi Norton is the No. 1 seed and defending champion at heavyweight.
The team race should be good with Basha, Westwood, Mesa, Liberty and others in the hunt for the championship.
“It’s been a challenging year with COVID and trying to find teams to schedule,” Basha coach Mike Garcia said. “But we should have about 250 girls competing this weekend. That’s pretty impressive. The girls have stayed strong throughout.”
Top four seeds
106 – 1. Emily Porras (Ironwood, Jr., 7-1); 2. Tatiana Hernandez (Sunnyside, Jr., 4-0); No. 3 Adrian Gomez (Basha, Soph., 9-0); No. 4 Bella Bocenagra (Liberty, Soph., 8-0).
113 – 1. Brianna Reyes (Valley Vista, Frosh., 7-0); 2. Taylor Colangelo (Liberty, Frosh., 9-1); 3. Anneliese Kisting (Casteel, Soph., 5-1); 4. Arianna Sarett (Morenci, Soph., 1-0).
120 – 1. Trinity Howard (Basha, Jr., 9-1); 2. Camron Tutas (Catalina, Sr., 2-0); 3. Adrianna Lloyd (Centennial, Soph., 11-0); 4. Darwin DeWitt (Red Mountain, Jr., 7-5).
126 – 1. Carolina Moreno (Kofa, Sr., 8-0); 2. Isabella Munoz (Casteel, Soph., 9-2); 3. Shianna Bamba (Peoria, Soph., 6-0); 4. Destiny Stotts (Verrado, Jr., 10-0).
132 – 1. Bree Garcia (Goldwater, Jr., 9-0); 2. Mylei Seigla (Canyon del Oro, Jr., 6-1); 3. Jennifer Peralta (San Luis, Sr., 2-1); 4. Andree Anderson (Basha, Frosh., 9-0).
138 – 1. Camry Carter (Casteel, Jr., 7-2); 2. Ryleigh Dye (Chandler, Sr., 4-0); 3. Sharmayne Crank (Page, Sr., 1-0); 4. Angelina Samarripas (Centennial, Sr., 11-3).
145 – 1. Sara Schmoker (Liberty, Sr., 10-0); 2. Amber Rodriguez (Basha, Sr., 8-1); 3. Lillian Gradillas-Flores (Marana Mt. View, Frosh, 9-0); 4. Julia Chambers (Skyline, Sr., 7-0).
152 – 1. Taliyah Armstrong (Westwood, Jr., 8-4); 2. Ysela Gradillas-Flores (Marana Mtn View, Jr., 6-0); 3. Natalie Ibarra (Cortez, Sr., 6-0); 4. Courtney Cardoza (Millennium, Sr., 5-0).
160 – No. 1 Nina Sandoval (Campo Verde, Jr., 12-0); 2. Charleigh Harder (Cactus, Soph., 8-0); 3. Tylee Payne (Benjamin Franklin, Jr., 7-1); 4. Lillith Reyes (Westwood, Jr., 7-2).
170 – 1. Iyanla Thomas (Westwood, Sr., 11-0); 2. Trinity Bouchal (Basha, Jr., 7-1); 3., Nova Ragnoli (Winslow, Jr., 6-2); 4. Melissa Hernandez (Kellis, Frosh., 11-0).
182 – 1. Ryan LaSure (Rincon, Sr., 9-0); 2., Lei Kalk (Winslow, Jr., 5-0); 3. Hannah Gertis (Basha, Jr., 5-0); 4. Taylor Phillips (Centennial, Jr., 13-1).
195 – 1. Stefany Valencia (Westwood, Jr., 11-0); 2. Emma Nelson (Basha, Sr., 4-1); 3. Brooke Newton (Coolidge, Frosh., 1-0); 4., Christina Chavez (Arizona College Prep, Soph., 1-3).
220 – 1. Trinity Armendariz (Buckeye, Frosh., 9-0); 2. Yailin Soto (Coronado, Soph., 5-0); 3. Charry Benecke (Winslow, Soph., 7-1); 4. Gwen Nestoff (Basha, Jr., 6-1).
HVY – 1. Naomi Norton (Arizona Lutheran, Jr., 6-0); 2. Abigail Llamas (Centennial, Jr., 8-0); 3. Franchesca Diehl (Basha, Soph., 6-0); 4. Evelin Ramirez-Luna (Greenway, Soph., 2-0).
