Ray Shoaf
This weekend capped off the final tournament for Texas wrestlers to qualify for Team Texas and National qualifiers for Fargo the Junior and 16U Nationals. With 77 wrestlers competing and Texas own Kat Balch doing the Kat Calls announcing for the tournament one would think you was still in Texas and not Kansas. The tournament started off with Greco Roman on Saturday and Texas had 29 entries in the event claiming 16 placers with 1 champ, 7 runner ups, 5 3rd placer finishers, and 3 4th place finishers. The girls freestyle also wrestled along with the Greco Roman tournament Saturday and Texas had 5 girls enter the competition with all five placing top 4 with 1 champ. Sunday brought up the freestyle tournament which also brought out more wrestlers. Texas had 43 freestyle wrestlers entered but only placed 12. Texas had 2 champs, 2 runner ups, 5 3rd place finishers, and 3 4th place finishers.
Below we break down how the champs got it done.
Zayn Navarrete of NB Elite not only won a Freestyle Southern Plains Championship at 14U-102lbs going 3-0 and not even wrestling 2 full minutes in all combine matches but also wont the 2021 Cairns/Stormo Distinguished Wrestler Award given to one wrestler per state. The Award represents Bob Cairns a pioneer in the development of youth wrestling programs in the southern plains region. Bob had an unselfish dedication to and love for the sport. David Stormo worked closely with Bob in those early years and shared his philosophy, working as an official for 36 consecutive years at this tournament. The award is awarded to those who have shown the effort and attitude that both would have been enthusiastic about. Congratulations to Zayn Navarrete. Navarrete took 2nd in the Greco Roman Division.
Kade Moore of Best Trained Wrestling the 6A-126 UIL State Champ, bumping up to wrestle 138lbs went 4-0 beating state champs along the way in a bracket full of state champs and state placers to his Freestlye Southern Plains Regional Championship. Moores first match was a tune up against an Arkansas wrestler, then the 2nd match was senior Kage Lenger a Liberty Missouri class 4 State Champ at 138lbs. Then Drew Bell a 3-2-1A-132 Kansas State Champ in the semi finals. Then with the fall in the finals over junior Eli Ashcroft another Missouri State Champ this one a Class 3 Champ from Kearny at 132lb for the 138lb Southern Plains Regional Champion.
Bryson Huber of Vici Wrestling Club wrestling in the 14U-136 division went 3-0 and claimed himself a Greco Roman Southern Plains Regional Championship by beating a Missouri 12U state champ Elijah Avery in the finals by 12-10. Huber placed 4th in Freestyle. Special Note: Huber is from Idaho, wrestling for Coach Forsman whom is also from Idaho but representing Texas this weekend.
Zhivanna Magdaleno a UIL Texas state placer of Vici Wrestling Club wrestling in the HS Girls division at 112lbs went 3-0 in claiming her Southern Plains Regional Championship. Magdaleno in her first match defeated a Kansas State Champ Sarah Zimmerman by TF 15-4. Then another Kansas State Placer Olivia O’Donnell by TF 10-0. Meeting Josiah Ortiz another Kansas State Placer in the finals winning 9-1 to claim her championship.
Other Notables: Caleb Mata of Vici Wrestling Club and Roberto Bautista of Spring Klein Wrestling Club both state runner ups met in the consolation round in both tournaments with Mata getting the advantage each time to knock out Bautista. Eli Sheeren of Spring Klein Wrestling club only losses were to the same wrestler who won both styles. Jimmy Benne of NB Elite only Greco Roman loss was to the eventual champion. Austin Letsche of Best Trained took 2nd in Greco Roman after being out of commission for the last 6 weeks with injury. Andrew Clayton of Spring Klein Wrestling Club made the finals in both styles at 16U-182 and lost to the same Minnesota state placer each time to take 2nd place.
Below is how all the Texas wrestlers faired.
| 12U Boys | Freestyle | 86 lbs | Chance Berry | Texas | 1-1 | 2nd Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 83 lbs | Charlie Trujillo | 3F Wrestling | 1-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 97 lbs | Keagan Sieracki | 3F Wrestling | 1-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 102 lbs | Dominic Wilson | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 2-1 | 3rd Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 102 lbs | Zayn Navarrete | NB Elite | 3-0 | 1st Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 110 lbs | Tristan Forsman | Vici Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 110 lbs | Luke Burgar | Spartan Mat Club | 1-2 | 4th Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 125 lbs | David Mora | Rebel Wrestling Club | 1-2 | 3rd Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 136 lbs | Byson Huber | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-2 | 4th Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 136 lbs | Logan Soileau | Cyclone Youth Wrestling | 1-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 149 lbs | Jared Remington | Vici Wrestling Club | 3-1 | 3rd Place |
| 14U Boys | Freestyle | 250 lbs | Grant Bahnsen | Vici Wrestling Club | 1-3 | 5th Place |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 106 lbs | Dylan Milster | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 106 lbs | Jay Hernandez | Rockwall High School Wrestling | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 113 lbs | Diego Barron | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 113 lbs | Austin Letsche | Best Trained Wrestling | 1-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 120 lbs | Makaio Rogers | Vici Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 120 lbs | Ty Annoura | Vici Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 126 lbs | Adrian Hernandez | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 132 lbs | Hayden Fulkerson | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 138 lbs | Bryce Vernotico | Texas | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 138 lbs | Tyler Berry | Texas | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 138 lbs | Jimmy Benne | NB Elite | 2-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 152 lbs | Keller Lockstedt | NB Elite | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 170 lbs | Isaac Sheeren | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 182 lbs | Andrew Clayton | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 2-1 | 2nd Place |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 195 lbs | Jake Hurtado | Texas | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Freestyle | 285 lbs | Jayce Chew | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 1-2 | 3rd Place |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 120 lbs | Caden Lopez | Texas | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 126 lbs | Jeremy McPherson | Spartan Mat Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 132 lbs | Dylan Plows | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 132 lbs | Ruben Calderon | WAR Training Center | 2-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 138 lbs | Kade Moore | Best Trained Wrestling | 4-0 | 1st Place |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 138 lbs | Christopher Cayard Jr | Vici Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 145 lbs | Roberto Bautista | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 145 lbs | Caleb Mata | Vici Wrestling Club | 5-2 | 4th Place |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 160 lbs | LOGAN PARK | Spartan Mat Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 170 lbs | John Ward | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Freestyle | 195 lbs | Eli Sheeren | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 3-1 | 3rd Place |
| 12U Boys | Greco-Roman | 86 lbs | Chance Berry | 1-1 | 2nd Place | |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 83 lbs | Charlie Trujillo | 3F Wrestling | 1-2 | 4th Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 97 lbs | Keagan Sieracki | 3F Wrestling | 1-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 102 lbs | Dominic Wilson | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 2-2 | 4th Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 102 lbs | Zayn Navarrete | NB Elite | 1-1 | 2nd Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 110 lbs | Tristan Forsman | Vici Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 110 lbs | Luke Burgar | Spartan Mat Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 136 lbs | Byson Huber | Vici Wrestling Club | 3-0 | 1st Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 136 lbs | Logan Soileau | Cyclone Youth Wrestling | 2-1 | 3rd Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 149 lbs | Jared Remington | Vici Wrestling Club | 3-1 | 2nd Place |
| 14U Boys | Greco-Roman | 250 lbs | Grant Bahnsen | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-2 | 3rd Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 106 lbs | Dylan Milster | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 5-1 | 3rd Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 113 lbs | Diego Barron | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 113 lbs | Austin Letsche | Best Trained Wrestling | 3-1 | 2nd Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 120 lbs | Makaio Rogers | 0-2 | DNP | |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 120 lbs | Ty Annoura | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 126 lbs | Adrian Hernandez | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 132 lbs | Hayden Fulkerson | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 138 lbs | Jimmy Benne | NB Elite | 3-1 | 3rd Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 152 lbs | Keller Lockstedt | 0-2 | DNP | |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 170 lbs | Isaac Sheeren | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 1-2 | 4th Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 182 lbs | Andrew Clayton | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 2-1 | 2nd Place |
| 16U Boys | Greco-Roman | 285 lbs | Jayce Chew | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | 3rd Place |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 120 lbs | Caden Lopez | 1-3 | 5th Place | |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 132 lbs | Dylan Plows | Vici Wrestling Club | 1-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 132 lbs | Ruben Calderon | WAR Training Center | 2-1 | 2nd Place |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 145 lbs | Roberto Bautista | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 0-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 145 lbs | Caleb Mata | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-2 | DNP |
| Junior Boys | Greco-Roman | 195 lbs | Eli Sheeren | Spring Klein Wrestling Club | 3-0 | 2nd Place |
| HS Girls | Freestyle | 100 lbs | Britain Chew | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 0-2 | 2nd Place |
| HS Girls | Freestyle | 112 lbs | Zhivanna Magdaleno | Vici Wrestling Club | 3-0 | 1st Place |
| HS Girls | Freestyle | 117 lbs | Megan Edwards | ETX Pace Wrestling Club | 1-2 | 4th Place |
| HS Girls | Freestyle | 132 lbs | Mikayla Wallace | Vici Wrestling Club | 2-1 | 2nd Place |
| HS Girls | Freestyle | 164 lbs | Selena Sifuentes Shaffer | NB Elite | 1-3 | 4th Place |
