Wrestling: Nationally ranked individuals, new 5A qualification process hot topic as season begins
Another year another format.
It’s pretty much been the case in Class 5A wrestling for the last five years as the coaches, athletic directors and Arizona Interscholastic Association figure out the best way to fill out the state tournament field.
They might have finally settled on something that makes sense and nearly everyone can agree on for the most part. Not easily done.
Chandler Basha senior Jake Smith, top, will be one of the better 189-pounder in the Class 5A Division I after finishing third last season. (Photo by Mike Garcia, Basha wrestling)
Four eight-team sectional tournaments have been added with the top four in each weight class advancing to the state meet.
"With the sectional we are finally back to earning your way to state and that makes all of the difference," Mesa Red Mountain coach Dave DiDomenico said. "We are getting a legitimate kid and people of value instead of anyone who can make weight."
The rest of the state hasn’t had such foibles and most are now on board with the state dual meet at the end of the year as well.
Throw in four individuals – Safford’s Ryak Finch (112, 1st), Tempe Marcos de Niza’s Aaron Pavlenko (215, 2nd), Scottsdale Desert Mountain’s Shane McGough (130, 9th) and Cottonwood Mingus’ Luke Goettl (135, 11th) – ranked in the top 20 nationally and it could be one the best overall years in recent memory.
The individual state tournaments are on the move as well with all of the events – other than the Class 5A tournaments – being held at Tim’s Toyota Center in Prescott Feb. 11-13.
Last year, the Class 1A/2A and 3A tournaments made the migration up north from the Jobing.com Arena. This season, the 4A tournaments will also be in Prescott.
The 5A individual tournaments are moving to Arizona State’s campus and be held on weekdays, Feb. 16-17.
"There are lot of teams that can be darkhorses this year like Mesquite and Dobson that can be there," DiDomenico said. "We are in an up-cycle right now, and probably for the next couple of years, where there are several teams in a better position than they were a few years ago."
Here is a look at CoachesAid.com’s preseason ranking based on responses on coaches submitted questionnaires and our observations.
Class 5A Division I
1. Tempe Corona del Sol
2. Mesa
3. Mesa Mountain View
4. Gilbert Mesquite
5. Gilbert Highland
Class 5A Division II
1. Tucson Sunnyside
2. Tempe Marcos de Niza
3. Yuma Cibola
4. Tucson Ironwood Ridge
5. Glendale Ironwood
