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Three wrestlers remained undefeated during the season and 100 wrestlers — 56 boys and 44 girls — kept their dream alive of battling it out at the state tournament during the District 16-6A wrestling tournament Wednesday at La Joya High School.
Among those still unbeaten and advancing to the regional tournament are USA Wrestling’s Maddox Quinonez of Edinburg Economedes, who captured gold in the boys 190-pound weight class to improve to 40-0 on the season; and the three-time district champion and fourth-place state finisher from a year ago, Edinburg High’s Cassandra Medrano. Medrano, a junior, won her two matches at the 100-pound division with pins in a combined 3 minutes and 5 seconds. She is now 34-0.
San Benito’s Jose Mota kept his unblemished streak, capturing his 26th straight victory with a forfeit win in the championship match at 106 pounds.
PSJA High won the boys team title with 194 points, three ahead of Weslaco with 191 and Economedes with 158. Ricardo Fernandez (36-4, 126 pounds), Aaron Salinas (35-8, 144 pounds) and Joshua Castillo (24-4, 215 pounds) all earned district medals for the Bears, leading them to the team title.
The Weslaco girls team racked up 176 points to edge Edinburg with 169.5 and San Benito with 167.5 Jenelle Ramirez (23-5) pinned Edinburg’s Julia Ramos to win the 138-pound district title, the only one for Weslaco. But the Panthers also claimed six seconds and two thirds to capture the team title.
Quinonez, who earned the All-American honor by placing eighth at the USA Wrestling Brian Keck Preseason National Tournament in Iowa, put earned a 10-3 decision over Harlingen’s Keyshawn Dinn to claim the 190 title.
“I just wrestle the same way I always wrestle, even when I was at nationals,” said Quinonez, who didn’t begin wresting until his sophomore year. “Sometimes, I may wrestle someone a little differently so I can perfect a move that isn’t up to speed with my other moves, otherwise I wrestle everyone the same.”
His two-word response let there be no doubt about what his goal is this season: “Take state,” he confidently said.
Quinonez, who also dabbled with football and track, said when he started wrestling as a sophomore, it just came naturally. Then, at the national event, he won what he described as his toughest match ever against a star Iowan wrestler.
“I won that and all of a sudden I knew I was an All-American,” he said. “Everyone tries to talk it up, me being the first in the Valley, but it hasn’t really hit me or affected me.”
Medrano and fellow teammate Kenia Islas at Edinburg are returning to the regional tournament, both with eyes on another trip to state. Islas is 45-2 in the 126-pound category. Last year she finished fourth — — the final spot — to reach the regional. Still, she ended up on the podium in sixth place and now wants to improve on that finish, but first comes the regional tournament.
Islas defeated Elektra Garces of Weslaco and had faced her in a tournament two weeks ago. Garces, a senior, held an impressive 36-3 record before the championship tilt.
“Last time, she almost had me because I took my shot and when got behind her she hooked me, but I Petersoned (wrestling move to use as an escape and score points) her and beat her.”
Islas was especially impressive Wednesday, needing just 24 seconds to dispose of her first opponent before earning another pin in 1:36 during the championship match.
“Working really hard, harder than ever, and I got rid of the distractions and I’m focused on my diet, especially now that I’m wrestling at 126, down from 132,” Islas said. “I just need to keep going, never underestimate an opponent and wrestle them like they are the state champion.”
District 16-6A
Wrestling Tournament
Team Results
Girls
1.Weslaco 176.0 points; 2. Edinburg 169.5; 3. San Benito 167.5; 4. Edinburg North 129.0; 5. Pharr-San Juan-Alamo 82.0; 6. La Joya 74.0; 7. Harlingen 73.0; T-8. Edinburg Economedes and Mission 50.0; 10. Los Fresnos
Individual Results
Girls
100 pounds
1st place match
Cassandra Medrano, Jr., (Edinburg High, 30-0), def. Yazmin Cruz, Soph,. (Weslaco High, 33-10), Fall 1:18
3rd place
Britney Martinez (La Joya, 29-8) def. Evanjalynn Juarez, Jr., (San Benito, 20-11), Fall 2:40
107 Pounds
1st Place Match
Yaretzi Hernandez (Edinburg) 39-14, So. def. Lanette Alonzo (Los Fresnos) 12-4, Jr. (Fall 1:31)
3rd Place Match
Madison Reyes (Weslaco) 17-15, So. def. Zara Garza (Mission) 20-16, Fr. (Dec 7-6)
114 pounds
1st Place Match
Briana Castillo (San Benito) 26-6, So. def. Allison Salaya (Weslaco) 23-16, Fr. (Md 11-2)
3rd Place Match
Kaylee De La Fuente (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 19-18, So. def. Ayana Cavazos (La Joya) 17-15, Fr. (Dec 9-7)
120 Pounds
1st Place Match
Zoe Almendariz (Edinburg North) 3-0, Sr. def. Alexa Leija (San Benito) 26-3, Sr. (MD 8-0)
3rd Place Match
Andrea Aguilera (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 26-11, Jr. def. Abeni Cuellar (Edinburg Economedes) 29-16, Jr. (Fall 2:41)
126 Pounds
1st Place Match
Kenia Islas (Edinburg) 45-2, Sr. def Elektra Garces (Weslaco) 38-5, Sr. (Fall 1:36)
3rd Place Match
Paola Chavez (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 26-9, So. def. Teresa Liga (Edinburg North) 2-2, Jr. (Fall 1:45)
132 Pounds
1st Place Match
Aylein Madrigual (Edinburg) 40-16, Jr. def. Brisa Rodriguez (Weslaco) 24-13, Jr. (Fall 1:34)
3rd Place Match
Skyler Espinoza (Harlingen) 3-1, Jr. def. Aliyah Rodriguez (Los Fresnos) 8-9, So. (Fall 2:38)
138 Pounds
1st Place Match
Jenelle Ramirez (Weslaco) 23-5, Fr. def. Julia Ramos (Edinburg) 2-1, Jr. (Fall 1:10)
3rd Place Match
Angelli Ortega (San Benito) 23-9, So. def. Jayden Acosta (Harlingen) 2-2, Fr. (Fall 2:12)
145 Pounds
1st Place Match
Daisy Vega (La Joya) 16-5, Sr. def. Ruby Ann Garces (Weslaco) 34-7, Fr. (Fall 3:18)
3rd Place Match
Galilea Herrera (San Benito) 26-6, Sr. def. Mya DeLaFuente (Edinburg) 22-18, Fr. (Fall 3:54)
152 Pounds
1st Place Match
Briana Resendez (San Benito) 22-1, Sr. def. Maia Sandoval (Weslaco) 30-11, Jr. (Dec 5-0)
3rd Place Match
Desirae Ortiz (Edinburg) 29-7, Jr. def. Bianca Escobedo-Haley (Edinburg North) 2-2, Sr. (Fall 2:54)
165 Pounds
1st Place Match
Kayla Figueroa (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 9-6, So. def. Natasha Rodriguez (Edinburg North) 1-1, Sr. (Fall 4:37)
3rd Place Match
Jaylen Castillo (San Benito) 26-7, Jr. def. Kyreina Acevedo (Mission) 19-14, Fr. (Fall 1:22)
185 Pounds
1st Place Match
Marla Jimenez (Edinburg Economedes) 25-1, Sr. def. Lauren Cantu (San Benito) 24-3, Sr. (Fall 3:00)
3rd Place Match
Alayna Hetzel (Edinburg North) 3-1, Jr. def. Kiara Ochoa (La Joya) 3-3, Sr. (Fall 3:38)
235 Pounds
1st Place Match
Amanda Rosalez (Harlingen) 2-0, Jr. def. Elvira Felix (Edinburg North) 1-1, So. (Fall 3:50)
3rd Place Match
Melanie Avila (Weslaco) 26-9, Fr. def. Mariana Elizondo (Edinburg) 30-16, Sr. (Fall 3:55)
District 16-6A
Wrestling Tournament
Team Results
Boys
- PSJA 196.0; 2. Weslaco 191.0; 3. Edinburg Economedes 158.0; 4. Harlingen 134.0; 5. San Benito 126.0; 6. Edinburg 113.5; 7. La Joya 89.0; 8. Edinburg North 80.0; 9. Mission 72.0; 10. Los Fresnos 42.0
Individual Results
Boys
106 Pounds
1st Place Match
Jose Mota (San Benito) 24-0, Sr. def. Sebastian Olivera (Edinburg Economedes) 16-5, Fr. (M. For.)
3rd Place Match
Santiago Martinez (Harlingen) 3-1, Fr. def. Cristian Pena (Weslaco) 20-15, So. (Fall 4:34)
113 Pounds
1st Place Match
Jesus Martinez (La Joya) 25-7, Sr. def. Nick Jaramillo (Los Fresnos) 20-5, So. (MD 16-8)
3rd Place Match
Tristan Corona (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 27-6, Sr. def. Damian Hernandez (San Benito) 22-11, Fr. (Dec 6-4)
120 Pounds
1st Place Match
Gilbert Avila (Edinburg Economedes) 32-5, Sr. def. Romeo Ramos (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 28-14, Sr. (Fall 5:49)
3rd Place Match
Bryan Duron (Edinburg) 23-8, Sr. def. Bruno Valladares (Weslaco) 9-3, Sr. (Dec 5-3)
126 Pounds
1st Place Match
Ricardo Fernandez (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 36-4, Jr. def. Jose Sanchez (Edinburg Economedes) 23-4, So. (MD 16-4)
3rd Place Match
Ethan Morales (Weslaco) 25-11, Sr. def. Joel Tiscareno (Harlingen) 3-2, Jr. (Fall 0:59)
132 Pounds
1st Place Match
Gabriel Quiroga (Weslaco) 34-4, Sr. def. Luis Garza (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 32-3, Jr. (Fall 0:53)
3rd Place Match
Pedro Olivera Rivera (Edinburg Economedes) 33-9, Jr. def. Aiden Ruiz (Edinburg) 25-17, Sr. (Fall 3:28)
138 Pounds
1st Place Match
Kristian Domanski (San Benito) 25-7, Sr. def. Sebastian Lopez (Weslaco) 19-7, Sr. (Fall 1:19)
3rd Place Match
Brandon Perez (La Joya) 24-9, So. def. Troy Torres (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 27-15, Jr. (Fall 4:59)
144 Pounds
1st Place Match
Aaron Salinas (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 35-8, Sr. def. Llian Escobar (Edinburg Economedes) 26-17, Sr. (Fall 1:39)
3rd Place Match
Moses Gutierrez (Weslaco) 26-10, So. def. Angel Osorio (Harlingen) 2-2, So. (MD 11-1)
150 Pounds
1st Place Match
Elias Rodriguez (Weslaco) 13-1, Sr. def. David De La Garza (Edinburg) 14-11, Fr. (Fall 1:55)
3rd Place Match
Jorge Alanis (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 17-7, Jr. def. Daniel Vasquez (San Benito) 9-14, Jr. (MD 13-5
157 Pounds
1st Place Match
Andre Watts (Edinburg North) 2-0, Sr. def. Josiah Alvarez (Weslaco) 24-10, Sr. (TF-1.5 4:57 (17-1))
3rd Place Match
Aaron Urrutia (La Joya) 13-5, Jr. def. Kaleb Cantu (Harlingen) 2-2, Sr. (Dec 3-0)
165 Pounds
1st Place Match
Jose Garza (Mission) 11-2, Sr. def. Maximiliano Reyna (Edinburg Economedes) 23-8, So. (Dec 5-2)
3rd Place Match
Julian Ortiz (Harlingen) 3-1, Sr. def. Cody Barrios (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo) 15-14, Jr. (Dec 6-0)
175 Pounds
1st Place Match
Ronald Salaya (Weslaco) 39-2, Sr. def Izaac Mendoza (Edinburg) 32-10, Sr. (Dec 7-0)
3rd Place Match
Reynaldo Leal (Harlingen) 3-1, So. def. Josiah Villarreal (Edinburg Economedes) 20-14, So. (Fall 4:56)
180 Pounds
1st Place Match
Maddox Quinonez, Sr., (Edinburg Economedes 39-0),. def. Keyshawn Dinn, Sr., (Harlingen 2-1), Dec 10-3
3rd Place Match
Marco Maynez, Soph., (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo 8-3), def. Eduardo Salazar, Sr., (Los Fresnos 13-12), Fall 2:31
215 Pounds
1st Place Match
Joshua Castillo. Jr., (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, 24-4), def. Brandon Salinas, Soph., (San Benito 13-4), Fall 0:51
3rd Place Match
Jacob Ortiz, Jr., (Harlingen, 3-1) def. Evan Ventura, Soph., (Weslaco 18-17), Dec 7-2
285 Pounds
1st Place Match
Ammel Zamora, Sr., (Mission, 25-3) def. Karmyne Castilleja, Sr., (San Benito, 18-5), Fall 4:27
3rd Place Match
Jeremiah Sandoval, Sr., (La Joya, 13-7), def. Bernardo Elizondo, Soph., (Edinburg, 11-6), Dec 8-6
