Canyon View boys roll to first state wrestling title
The Canyon View boys wrestling team poses with its Division II trophy Saturday at Veterans Coliseum after winning its first state team championship.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
PHOENIX — When Canyon View's four state champions won their title matches Saturday, they each chose to leap into their coach’s arms.
It made it easier on their coach that four of those five champs weighed 138 pounds or less.
The Jaguars already had a huge lead before the Division II finals over second-place Kofa of Yuma and ended up winning the title by a wide margin, 217 points to 160.5 to claim their first team title.
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PHOENIX — When Canyon View's four state champions won their title matches Saturday, they each chose to leap into their coach’s arms.
It made it easier on their coach that four of those five champs weighed 138 pounds or less.
The Jaguars already had a huge lead before the Division II finals over second-place Kofa of Yuma and ended up winning the title by a wide margin, 217 points to 160.5 to claim their first team title.
The Jags’ lighter weights made the title happen. With five individual state titles — from 106-pounder Chris Ramirez, Gabriel Ramirez (120 pounds), Giovanni Martinez Chavez (126 pounds), a defense of a state title by Giosue Hickman (138 pounds) and 190-pound No. 6 seed Sir Friday, who beat the No. 1 seed soundly to claim the final title — the Jaguars who were in the finals looked confident and in a groove with their team fate sealed.
Chris Ramirez of Canyon Vista, right, wrestles Daniel Alire of Kofa in the Division II boys 106-pound final at this weekend’s state championships at Veterans Coliseum. Ramirez, one of four Jaguars to win individual state titles Saturday, helped lead Canyon View to its first state team championship.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
“Our little guys, even the younger ones, they wrestled very poised and wrestled excellent tournaments,” said coach Joey Ortiz. “These guys really want to come through for each other. Those kids look to the left and to the right and they don’t want to let each other down. It’s the ‘band of brothers’ that we talk about a lot in the room.”
Chris Ramirez’s final was the closest. He beat Daniel Alire of Kofa by a 10-8 score.
Other Jaguars helped the team to its title status. Charles Laws-Albano placed third at 144 pounds while Asher Villapando also took third at 175.
Kolton Frye was fourth at 113 pounds. Ruben “Xav” Lerma took fifth at 150. Jonny Tapia was sixth at 132.
Williams Field was a distant third in Division II team points with 128.
Ortiz said with Hickman already committed to Northwestern University, he’s hoping Villapando, a senior, and Gabriel Ramirez, a junior, can end up in college wrestling programs.
Ortiz said a friendly rivalry exists among the wrestlers within the team.
“It’s an individual sport, and they try to one-up each other, and get that extra pin or those extra points,” he said.
Just before Saturday evening’s finals, the entire arena, along with several members of the Koury family, observed a brief presentation on the mats in remembrance of longtime West Valley coach and wrestling pioneer Mike Koury, who passed away in September.
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Asher Villapando of Canyon Vista, right, wrestles Gadiel Meraz of Willow Canyon in a Division II boys 175-pound match Saturday at the state championships at Veterans Coliseum. Villapando, one of four Jaguars to win individual state titles Saturday, helped lead Canyon View to its first state team championship.
Independent Newsmedia/Jason W. Brooks
Jason W. Brooks News Editor | Chandler Independent
Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.
Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.
Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.
Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.
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