Kathy Garza-Gutierrez
The Snakebite Invitational Wrestling Tournament, a premier event in the realm of high school wrestling, stands as the exclusive tournament south of Corpus Christi, TX. Drawing participants from 19 schools in the Rio Grande Valley, along with representation from a Corpus Christi school, it holds a distinctive position in the regional wrestling circuit. Noteworthy is the tournament’s annual occurrence, strategically timed after the Christmas UIL dead days, facilitating changes in weight classes through the 2-pound allowance. As the wrestling community converges for this anticipated event, it signifies a crucial juncture for athletes to showcase their prowess and adaptability within the dynamic sport.
The Snakebite Invitational Wrestling Tournament unfolded with gripping matches, showcasing the tenacity and skill of high school wrestlers. In the 106 weight class, Juan Velasquez of Rio Grande City Grulla secured the top spot by defeating Themas Aguirre from Mission Sharyland Pioneer in a closely contested match with a final score of 8-5. The third-place match witnessed La Joya Juarez-Lincoln’s Angel Alaniz prevailing over Edinburg Economedes’ Sebastian Olivera with a fall at 3:53.
Moving to the 113 weight class, Joseph Ozuna of Rio Grande City emerged victorious by defeating Josue Resendez from Rio Grande City Grulla with a fall at 2:33. In the third-place match, Aiden Baker from Mission Sharyland secured a win over Roel Molar from Mission Sharyland Pioneer with a fall at 4:05.
Matthew Castillo of Mission Sharyland dominated the 120 weight class, clinching first place with a 9-4 decision over Alfredo Campos from Edcouch-Elsa. The third-place match saw Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial’s Carmen Calderone securing a narrow 10-9 decision over Julio Cabrera from Roma.
In the 126 weight class, Aidan Rodriguez from Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial triumphed over Mariano Ornelas of La Joya Juarez-Lincoln with a fall at 1:45 in the first-place match. Adrian Salinas of Edcouch-Elsa secured third place with a 9-8 decision over Justice Gutierrez from Rio Grande City.
Gabriel Quiroga of Weslaco dominated the 132 weight class, securing first place with a 7-2 decision over Luis Garza from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo. The third-place match witnessed Pedro Olivera Rivera of Edinburg Economedes defeating Andres Bejarano from Mission Sharyland with a commanding 16-2 major decision.
Nicholas Torres of Mission Sharyland claimed victory in the 138 weight class, defeating Davey Ramirez from Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial with a 6-4 decision. In the third-place match, Edward Juarez of McAllen secured a fall at 3:50 over Sebastian Lopez from Weslaco.
The 144 weight class saw Humberto Mandujano of La Joya Juarez-Lincoln securing first place with a fall at 3:24 over Quinn Barrera from Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial. Leonardo Garcia of Rio Grande City secured third place with a fall at 4:04 over Kevin Nelson from Mission Sharyland…
