Belen wrestlers win state championships

The New Mexico State Wrestling Championships were held this past weekend, and the Belen Eagles boys wrestling team scored some individual championships.

Diego Avila defended his 2020-21 State Championship by taking the 2021-22 State Championship in the 132-pound category.

Avila got a 10-3 decision victory for the championship over Brendon Olsen from Silver. Avila finishes the season 23-1.

Damien Wood also was crowned State Champion. His came in the 145-pound category. Wood pinned Landon Sandoval from Silver in the second period to collect the victory. Wood finishes the season with a record of 19-6.

Ely Gutierrez collected the third individual State Championship for Belen by beating Diego Snell-Martinez of Bloomfield via pin to take the 160-pound category. Gutierrez won all four of his bouts at the State Championships via a pin. Gutierrez finishes the season 26-2.

Aside from the champions, the Belen boys also had other team members finish in the guaranteed places at the event.

Marcus Rimorin collected third place in the 106-pound category, after defeating Gunner Samora of Bloomfield. Josiah Pemble finished in fourth place in the 113-pound category for the Eagles. Julian Sisneros got sixth place in the 120-pound category. Gabriel Tharnish collected sixth place as well, his coming in the 152-pound category, and Bobby Orona scored a fifth-place finish in the 182-pound category.

Overall, the Belen boys finished in fourth-place as a team, with 155 points, finishing behind Aztec, Bloomfield and Silver.

The Belen girls wrestling team saw Kaitlyn Maria qualify for the State Championship, and Maria did quite impressively at the event over the weekend.

Maria was able to rebound from her loss in the semifinals to pick up two more wins, including a pin of Emily Madrid-Kane of Goddard to take home third-place in the 235-pound division at the event. Maria finishes the season with a record of 15-6.

The Los Lunas wrestling teams were also at the New Mexico State Championships over the weekend. The Tigers came close to scoring individual championships, but came up just short of doing so.

Naithan Gurule finished runner-up in the 145-pound category, losing to Santiago Lopez of Atrisco Heritage. Gurule finishes the season with a 36-3 record.

Miguel Andrade finished runner-up in the 170-pound category. Andrade lost to Ivan Smith of Farmington in the championship match. Andrade still finishes the season with an impressive 23-3 mark.

Zander Doyle made an impressive run in the 182-pound category, including winning his quarterfinal match with an escape with 24 seconds remaining in contest. Doyle lost the title match to Elijah Martinez of Santa Fe, and finishes the season 19-6.

Ryan Vega was the last Tiger to finish runner-up at the event, his coming in the 285-pound category. The loss for Vega in the finals was to Kioni Benally of Farmington. Vega still ends the season with an impressive 35-4 record.

Los Lunas also got a pair of fourth-place finishes during the event.

Noah Gurule collected fourth in the 113-pound category, while Aaron Zamora did the same in the 126-pound category.

The Tigers ended with 152 points overall, good enough for third place in team scoring, behind Farmington and La Cueva.

The Los Lunas girls team sent their two wrestlers to the State Championships over the weekend.

Julianna Lucero finished in fourth place in the 126-pound category. Lucero finishes the season with a 25-6 record.

Kiyah Padilla finished the 100-pound category in a tie for fifth place. Padilla ends the season with a 21-8 record.

For the Valencia Jaguars, the State Championship also proved to be somewhat successful.

On the boys side the team came home in 16th place in the overall standings, with several wrestlers grabbing victories along the way.

Anthony Cano led the way for the Jaguars, as he scored a sixth-place finish in the 145-pound category. Cano finishes the season with a 11-9 record.

Richard Madrid picked up a couple of victories, but lost in the quarterfinals in the 113-pound category to Belen’s Josiah Pemble. Madrid finishes the season with an 16-10 record.

Quinn Burgess picked up a win in the consolation bracket of the 170-pound category. Burgess finishes the season with a record of 11-10 for the Jaguars.

Elijah Duran bounced back from a loss in the opening round to collect two wins in the consolation bracket of the 195-pound category before losing to sixth-place finisher Clark Hager of Albuquerque Academy. Duran finishes the season with a 22-8 record.

Omar Estrada advanced to the quarterfinals of the 220-pound category, before losing to eventual runner-up Shawn Gomez of Gallup. Estrada finishes the season with an 17-11 record.

The Valencia Lady Jaguars sent two wrestlers to the State Championships, Nevaeh Bracamonte and Katie Booth.

Bracamonte made it to the quarterfinals of the 120-pound category before losing to eventual fifth-place finisher Tanessa Torres of Volcano Vista. Bracamonte ends the season with an impressive 18-4 record.

Booth made it to the quarterfinals of the 126-pound category before losing to eventual runner-up Heaven Handy from Cleveland High. Booth finishes the season with an impressive 17-6 record.