Arizona
Vote. Republic’s 2025-26 All-Arizona boys HS wrestling team, coach
Here is The Arizona Republic’s 2025-26 All-Arizona Boys High School wrestling team with honorable mentions and Coach of the Year. The 12 All-Arizona players (listed alphabetically) also are nominees for Player of the Year, which will be announced in a later story. They were selected with coaches input and consideration of state title meet performances. The list below notes weight class for each wrestler.
The Republic sports staff will select the top wrestler, but readers can offer their opinion in the poll below, which closes on April 3 at 6 p.m. Print readers can find the poll online with this story at azcentral.com/sports/high-schools.
Republic’s 2025-26 All-Arizona Boys Wrestling Team
Brett Bates, Sahuarita Walden Grove, 126, Sr.
He was an undefeated (58-0) state champion in Division III. He also won titles at the Flowing Wells Invitational, Mile High Challenge, Marana and Mesa Mountain View duals and the Salpointe Invitational.
Justin Beauvais, Mesa Mountain View, 138, Sr.
Repeated as Division I state champion, going 28-1, with his only setback coming out of state. Nationally ranked. He won his state title match by a technical fall, 20-3.
Travis Cardenas, Chandler, 165, Sr.
The Arizona State commit won the Division I state championship in his weight class with a technical fall. He gained bonus points in each of his state tournament matches
Jax Finch, Cave Creek Cactus Shadows, 285, Sr.
His only loss was to Division I runner-up and two-time state heavyweight champion Zayne Candelaria of Sunnyside. He defeated Division IV state champion Layne James by a technical fall.
Joshua Finch-Logan, Phoenix Brophy Prep, 285, Sr.
He went 22-6, but really turned it on at state, pinning two-time state champion Zayne Candelaria of Tucson Sunnyside in the Division I heavyweight state championship match, coming back from the No. 10 seed in the tournament.
Nathaniel Gallardo, Sahuarita, 175, Jr.
He went 59-2, winning the state title after finishing second in 2025 and third in ’24. He scored bonus points in every match throughout the state tournament.
Marcus Killgore, Sahuarita, 157, So.
He went 57-0, helping his school win a fifth consecutive Division III championship. He was first at the Maran Duals, Mountain View Duals, Mile High Challenge, Temecula Valley Battle for the Belt and the Salpointe Invitational. Was named Outstanding Wrestler at every tournament. He’s a two-time state champion who won by three technical falls and a fall at the AIA state championships.
Julian Macias, Glendale Ironwood, 146, Sr.
He went 38-1 on the season and won by a major decision in the Division II state championship match. He was a three-time state champion.
Nicolaus Meza, Laveen Cesar Chavez, 144, Sr.
He defeated three-time state champion Julian Macius. Meza won the Division I state title at 144 pounds. He also won the Peoria Inviational title and the Diego Gadea Invitational. His only loss during the season was avenged at state.
Ryder Schulte, Peoria Liberty, 177, So.
He repeated as state champions, going 48-0 on the season and gaining a No. 7 national ranking.
Jozeph Smith, Tucson Pueblo, 165, Sr.
He repeated as state champion in Division II, going 65-2. He went 198-18 in his career, placing every year in high school. He was fourth as a freshman at state and third as a sophomore. He was a four-time Division II sectional champion.
Jack Thrush, Sunnyside, 108, Fr.
He won the Division I state championship with a 14-1 decision. He went 38-5 with all of his losses coming against out-of-state opponents.
Honorable mention
Sebastian Serrano, Sahuarita, 132; Trey Kessinger, Campo Verde, 113; Zandon Hopson, Liberty, 190; Jeremy LeBlanc, Liberty, 215; Trace Nielsen, St. Johns, 192; Reese Crosby, St. Johns, 146; Riley Nollet, Bradshaw Mountain, 108; Gage Palace, Payson, 138; David Elias, Yuma Kofa, 132; Zayne Cadelaria, Sunnyside, 285; Malik Hoskins, Sunnyside, 115; Cannon Farrar, Yuma Gila Ridge, 122; Carson Miles, Liberty, 126; Anthony Lopez, Ironwood, 152; Steven Robles, Canyon View, 159; Christopher Ramirez, Canyon View, 122; Sean Luedy, Arizona College Prep, 192; Andrei Davis-Lopez, Cienega, 285; Jayden Preston, Somerton, 115; Romeo Chavez, Eloy Santa Cruz, 134; Xavier Chavez, Sunnyside, 152; Alejandro De La Rosa, Tucson Flowing Wells, 108.
Coach of the Year
Paul Vasquez, Sahuarita
Paul Vasquez led Sahuarita to a fifth consecutive Division III championship. He is building a dynasty at the smaller division the way Sunnyside started to stack titles among larger schools in the 1980s.
“This team and group really mesh well together,” Vasquez said. “They push each other hard and expect everyone to carry their weight. They hold each other accountable but still have a lot of fun together.”
He said the five titles have come from four different groups of wrestlers with different personalties.
“We have different teams, different kids every year and each team comes with different challenges and obstacles to conquer in order to get the job done,” Vasquez said. “One of my favorite parts of coaching is trying to figure out how to get the very best out of each kid and getting them to perform their best in February.”
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
Arizona
Person accused of making terroristic threats to medical facility in northern Arizona
PAGE, AZ (AZFamily) — A person accused of making terroristic threats toward a northern Arizona medical facility was arrested Friday morning.
Just after 10:30 p.m., police received a report of a person calling the facility and threatening to kill staff and Native Americans, according to the Page Police Department.
Authorities said staff placed the facility on lockdown until officers identified the suspect and arrested them outside their home.
The suspect was booked on charges of disorderly conduct, threatening and intimidating, and making terroristic threats. Police have not publicly identified the person.
“The Page Police Department is grateful for and supports the medical staff’s decision to put the medical facility into lockdown until the suspect was arrested and the situation was rendered safe,” the department said in a Facebook post.
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Arizona
NFL mock draft: 4-round projections for Arizona Cardinals
In these four-round projections, the Arizona Cardinals don’t get a tackle until the fourth round.
We are just days away from the 2026 NFL draft, and that means some final mock drafts. What direction will the draft take the Arizona Cardinals?
Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy put together a four-round mock draft for the Cardinals. They go defense early but rebuild the offense for 2026 and moving forward, including landing their potential franchise quarterback.
Cardinals 4-round mock draft
Here are the players in the first four rounds Popejoy projects for Arizona.
- Round 1: Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
- Round 2: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
- Round 3: Clemson WR Antonio Williams
- Round 4: Florida OT Austin Barber
What we think of the picks
The Cardinals want to trade out of the third pick and draft a tackle, so not getting a tackle until Round 4 seems unlikely, although they did meet with Barber. They do have options at right tackle for 2026 already on the roster.
Reese would be a great pick if they don’t trade back, as they badly need pass-rushing help off the edge.
Drafting Simpson seems inevitable at this point, so it has to be in a mock draft, although the feeling is they will need to go up into Round 1 again to get him.
Williams has speed and is almost six feet tall, but he does have short arms.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Arizona
Detroit Lions NFL Draft Injury Report: Arizona State CB Keith Abney
Due to significant injuries to the CB position last year which includes a shoulder surgery for Terrion Arnold, the Lions CB position scored a 6/10 need on my Lions Defensive Draft Need Rankings. Thus, an early-round selection of a young, healthy prospect like Keith Abney would not come as a surprise. He enters the draft with very low medical concern level.
Here is the excerpt from my medical report on Keith Abney:
(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)
Keith Abney, CB (21) – Arizona State
Projected round 2-3. #43 on Jeff Risdon board Feb 19.
Concern level 0/10
There is an isolated report of a hand injury but no corroborating information. Even if the hand injury is true, that’s of minimal to no long-term concern.
His availability in his final two seasons has been perfect. Overall, Abney appears to be medically clean and is at an excellent age.
He finished college with 6 INT and 21 PBU.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD
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