Best wrestler from every school?

homerdindon

Well-Known Member
Didn't Larkin lose to Frost in the state finals his sophomore year, Frost's frosh year? I think I remember Larkin beating Frost in a dual and then at FW, and then losing to him at state. Not sure though.
They never wrestled in high school. Larkin lost in the state semis his sophomore year to Larry Trujillo from Corona del Sol.
 
Peoria - Ernie Molina was probably the more accomplished 4X champ there. He was Jr. National All-American in free and Greco. He went on to take 2nd at JUCO's and a Runner -up at NAIA.
 
If I remember correctly, didn't "Cujo" Yazzie place at the Sunkist Kids Int. Open as a SENIOR in high school? I may be wrong but I do remember a 'Yazzie' had accomplished that.
 

Hillis

Well-Known Member
Reggie James was one of the biggest 135 lb wrestlers I've ever seen. I remember thinking how the heck does he make weight? He was a great wrestler.
Even though I'm the current coach, I'd actually never seen him wrestle. I was still in college working my way up during his years but had read and heard of all his honors, ie OW at Doc Wright, OW at Peoria. I finally met him a few years ago and his thing was constantly going to camp and working out all off season.
I also had a Peoria assistant coach fill me in on Terry Weaver and I hadn't heard of him. A NM coach also brought up Weaver. I think our list of past wrestlers is accurate.
I should start a new thread and post. Hmmm.....
 

FamousLie

Well-Known Member
Even though I'm the current coach, I'd actually never seen him wrestle. I was still in college working my way up during his years but had read and heard of all his honors, ie OW at Doc Wright, OW at Peoria. I finally met him a few years ago and his thing was constantly going to camp and working out all off season.
I also had a Peoria assistant coach fill me in on Terry Weaver and I hadn't heard of him. A NM coach also brought up Weaver. I think our list of past wrestlers is accurate.
I should start a new thread and post. Hmmm.....

James in the few times I saw him wrestle seemed like he wrestled with a chip on his shoulder with something to prove. It was a long time ago but from what I remember he had a really nice and fluid level change that kept guys off balance. He wasn't a dirty wrestler or one of those guys who would jam your head into the mat when letting you up, he was just outhustling guys and had great balance and strength. He probably had a lot of technique but he seemed like he only did about 4 things but he did them so well it was hard to stop.
 

FamousLie

Well-Known Member
That's amazing! Would've loved to have seen both of them do it..

I think Yazzie doing it is more impressive. Yamamoto comes from a wrestling family and was trained at a very high level through childhood and was sent here by his parents to wrestle and go to school. Other than a double OT loss in the state semis as a freshman, Yamamoto wasn't challenged by anyone really. The only times he found trouble was when it came to mat wrestling, since it's so different in freestyle sometimes you aren't aware of what might be dangerous in folkstyle. One of his coaches once told me he had almost gotten himself in trouble a handful of times because of his lack of awareness when it came to what might happen in folkstyle. I think a few times he got reversed to his back or had nearly been pinned 2 or 3 times for a brief moment, but they worked to fix that and once he figured out how to avoid dangerous situations nobody could touch him. He might have had a couple of close losses where mat wrestling played a factor, but in neutral he was about as untouchable as anyone.
 

Hillis

Well-Known Member
I think Yazzie doing it is more impressive. Yamamoto comes from a wrestling family and was trained at a very high level through childhood and was sent here by his parents to wrestle and go to school. Other than a double OT loss in the state semis as a freshman, Yamamoto wasn't challenged by anyone really. The only times he found trouble was when it came to mat wrestling, since it's so different in freestyle sometimes you aren't aware of what might be dangerous in folkstyle. One of his coaches once told me he had almost gotten himself in trouble a handful of times because of his lack of awareness when it came to what might happen in folkstyle. I think a few times he got reversed to his back or had nearly been pinned 2 or 3 times for a brief moment, but they worked to fix that and once he figured out how to avoid dangerous situations nobody could touch him. He might have had a couple of close losses where mat wrestling played a factor, but in neutral he was about as untouchable as anyone.
Valley HS had a 2x champ, Ronald Roanhorse. He beat Cujo in some tournament....I don' t know if its the one you're talking about. I was younger than both of them so didn't see the match (little JV guy then..haha).
 

BDBlue

Well-Known Member
It's hard to imagine Larkin was *ONLY* a 2x state champion. I can't remember who he lost to though, was it Trujillo or am I thinking of his brother or somebody else? In those days NHSCA senior nationals was the big tournament besides Fargo. Now it's watered down and there's about a million other nationals.


It is crazy to think that Eric was only a 2xer, Remember his little brother Evan is a 3xer from SS. Eric had a hard time breaking the lineup early in HS with SS having Vega, Vasquez, and Tellez around the same weight class. SO to try and come up with the best from SS is probably something that we may never know and may never be able to do. Its nuts! I guess it all comes down to personal preference and opinion.

Personally, I think that Eric Larkin or Urbano have to be the best.

Another Food for thought, which of the brothers/family members are best in AZ? We have soe great families but if they had a family round robbin who wins? Lol... Some of these would make for some fun family get togethers!
 

Billy Bob

New Member
It is crazy to think that Eric was only a 2xer, Remember his little brother Evan is a 3xer from SS. Eric had a hard time breaking the lineup early in HS with SS having Vega, Vasquez, and Tellez around the same weight class. SO to try and come up with the best from SS is probably something that we may never know and may never be able to do. Its nuts! I guess it all comes down to personal preference and opinion.

Personally, I think that Eric Larkin or Urbano have to be the best.

Another Food for thought, which of the brothers/family members are best in AZ? We have soe great families but if they had a family round robbin who wins? Lol... Some of these would make for some fun family get togethers!
Eric Larkin the best as only a 2x State Champ? How many times was Urbano state Champ? The topic is the best wrestler from every high school right? Get your facts straight, it's RBY!
 

FamousLie

Well-Known Member
I would say thet RBY would be my pick but Larkin is just behind him and not by much. If Senior Nationals and Fargo were as tough now as they used to be, and both have been watered down by all the other "nationals" that go on now, who's to say RBY wins them? But you also can't ignore he was an undefeated 4x state champion in the biggest school division. If it was just that, like Waldo Gutierrez, and RBY never wrestled freestyle or went to big national tournaments, I'd say Larkin without question. But RBY went and proved how good he was.
 

acestallion

Well-Known Member
I thought of him, but the shellacking Hancock put on him in the state finals made me think twice. I watched that match both in person and on TV. Oh the days when Cox 7 broadcast sports and we had to listen to GT and John Carlson banter back and forth the whole time. If that match had been even remotely competitive I'd agree with you. I'll give him a pass the year before because he got stuck by a senior who he had beaten 3x that season already, including twice by pin if I'm not mistaken, and I could very well be. Gaethje beats that guy 8 out of 10 at least. The match in the finals the next year showed little doubt who the better wrestler was. I can't recall Finch or Andrews nearly getting tech falled in the finals of any tournament. I don't remember how many losses Finch had, but I know one was to a guy from Winslow, but other than that I'm drawing a blank.



Finch only lost twice in high school both his freshman year. Don't quote me on this, but I think Anthony Bermudez was one loss in the Flowing Wells Finals I want to say. The other was at State, when he lost to Enrique Vigil, a senior and 3× state champ from Winslow; who could be the best wrestler to come out of there, or at least in the conversation. Other than that Finch didn't lose I believe. Undefeated sophomore through senior year. Won some national titles in high and in college.

And he's my pick to be the top wrestler out of Safford. He's the best lightweight to come out of Arizona in the past 10 years in my opinion.

And I mean true lightweights, RBY and Brady got a little bigger as they got older. Finch was a 103lber -112lber his whole high school career. I know he won it at 119 his senior year, and he might of weighed that soaking wet. I thought I had heard he wrestled there his senior year to start getting ready for college. That and having Trey and the Ornelas's at the lower weight classes probably all played a factor (They were absolutely stacked that year!).

All in all though Finch would be my pick for Safford Great, and best lightweight in past 10 years out of AZ. No disrespect to all the other great lightweights during that time.
 

FamousLie

Well-Known Member
I would tend to agree with Finch, despite Andrews (2 of them anyway) winning 4x. Hard to say no to little Andrews because he did beat Brady once and he also had a win over an underrated wrestler, Da'Wayne Robertson from Westwood.
 

BKramer

Well-Known Member
A couple of quick comments from the peanut gallery:
Safford - I would go with the younger Andrews but like SS, ridiculous pool of talent to choose from
Sunnyside - Having watched and coached and competed against them since 1982 (granted, not as much these past few years)...I have to go with Eric Larkin but jeez there are tons to choose from!
Santa Cruz - definitely Willie Paul Maxwell - 4x Champ
Benson - Fenn (4x) although Goodwin certainly tempts the vote
Buena - Don (JR) Frye - hands down
Apache Junction - really difficult, any of the McMinns or the beast, Danny Faqir, but probably RobRoy or Wayne
Camp Verde - Ryan Allred
Mingus - I am getting old...I think the kid who placed 3rd at Senior Nationals at about 160 lbs in about '96 would be my choice
Willcox - Justin Rockhill or Ben Miller
Flowing Wells - Kyle Kotchau (sp?) Tons to choose from here from the '70's and '80s
Douglas - back in the day, they produced some awesome wrestlers and I would go with Julio Moreno (2x, OW)
Nogales - Brad or Scott Beach
Rio Rico - Villaescusa

What about Flag, Coconino, Winslow, Round Valley, Tuba, Page, Snowflake?

Thanks for the post - very cool to see a bunch of names on here and such diversity. I am a little dated so pardon the throwbacks :,)
 

Hillis

Well-Known Member
Here's some more from the rez...
Ganado- Rodney Wallace (2x state champ and 1x runner-up)
Chinle- Evan Tracy (state champ)
Tuba City....Lavaugh Yazzie or Frank Swimmer (both state champs from the same era)
Many Farms....guy's last name was John, state champ as a sophomore and senior
Red Mesa...take your pick from any of the Haskins
 

FamousLie

Well-Known Member
A couple of quick comments from the peanut gallery:
Safford - I would go with the younger Andrews but like SS, ridiculous pool of talent to choose from
Sunnyside - Having watched and coached and competed against them since 1982 (granted, not as much these past few years)...I have to go with Eric Larkin but jeez there are tons to choose from!
Santa Cruz - definitely Willie Paul Maxwell - 4x Champ
Benson - Fenn (4x) although Goodwin certainly tempts the vote
Buena - Don (JR) Frye - hands down
Apache Junction - really difficult, any of the McMinns or the beast, Danny Faqir, but probably RobRoy or Wayne
Camp Verde - Ryan Allred
Mingus - I am getting old...I think the kid who placed 3rd at Senior Nationals at about 160 lbs in about '96 would be my choice
Willcox - Justin Rockhill or Ben Miller
Flowing Wells - Kyle Kotchau (sp?) Tons to choose from here from the '70's and '80s
Douglas - back in the day, they produced some awesome wrestlers and I would go with Julio Moreno (2x, OW)
Nogales - Brad or Scott Beach
Rio Rico - Villaescusa

What about Flag, Coconino, Winslow, Round Valley, Tuba, Page, Snowflake?

Thanks for the post - very cool to see a bunch of names on here and such diversity. I am a little dated so pardon the throwbacks :,)

That would be Jimbo Moore who was a great wrestler.
 
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