PSJA Memorial’s Abel Alvarado finished third at the UIL state wrestling tournament last year. On Saturday, Alvarado will be back on the mat after a successful district campaign to grapple his way back to the promise land.
“ You won’t see him brag, you won’t hear him talk about it, but once he steps on the mat he’s somebody,” PSJA Memorial head coach Joe Clark said. “Abel has got the heart of a lion. This year we are aiming a little bit higher, we have our goals and we stay humble.”
Alvarado, a senior, is carrying a 19-1 record in the 106-pound division and is a three-time district champion.
Alvarado and the Wolverines’ wrestling team is one of 10 boys and 10 girls teams that will compete at the UIL Region IV-5A tournament Saturday.
The tournament will be held at the Austin Independent School District Delco Activity Center in Austin.
“ Now it’s go time,” Alvarado said. “I have to go in with a good mentality and go ahead and take it.”
The teams and number of boys in Class 5A who qualified for regionals were Donna High (2), Edcouch – Elsa (11), Grulla (3), La Joya Palmview (1), Mission Veterans Memorial (2), Sharyland High (6), Sharyland Pioneer (10), Valley View (3), PSJA Memorial (5), PSJA Southwest (1), Rio Grande City (5).
Donna High (4), Edcouch-Elsa (4), Grulla (1), La Joya Palmview (4), Mission Veterans (1), Valley View (2), PSJA Memorial (6), PSJA Southwest (1), and Rio Grande City (5) will represent the girls in 5A.
The top boys and girls who placed in district in 6A will travel to compete at the UIL Region IV-6A state qualifying tournament Saturday in San Antonio at the Littleton Gymnasium.
The teams and number of boys in 6A who qualified for regionals are Donna North (6), Edinburg High (10), Edinburg Economedes (5), Edinburg North (7), Edinburg Vela (7), La Joya High (7), La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (12), Los Fresnos (14), McAllen High (7), McAllen Memorial (2), McAllen Rowe (6), Mission High (6), PSJA High (9), PSJA North (7).
The number of teams and girls who qualified in 6A is Donna North (5), Edinburg High (3), Edinburg Economedes (6), Edinburg North (10), Edinburg Vela (3), La Joya High (7), La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (6), McAllen High (6), McAllen Memorial (5), McAllen Rowe (1), Mission High (3), PSJA High (8) and PSJA North (3).
Each wrestler at regionals will be pooled into 16-man brackets, and only the top four moves on to state competition slated in Houston next weekend.
“ Regionals is going to be a tough one,” Clark said. “It is the cream of the crop in the entire region. When you’re talking about state, you’re talking about the crème de la crème, the very elite. To make it to regionals is awesome. We are real fortunate we have — not just PSJA Memorial but all the other Valley schools that are wrestling at regionals.”
WRESTLERS TO WATCH
Mission High’s heavyweight Dante Lopez in the 285 pound weight-class is entering the competition 30-2. He has not lost a match in the Valley.
McAllen Rowe’s Petey Lozano enters the competition in the 160-pound weight class with a 17-2 record.
McAllen High’s Roberto Delgado has a 37-6 record in the 138 pound weight-class.
Edinburg Vela’s Humberto Alcala is riding a 19-0 recorded in the 160 pound weight-class.
Edinburg High’s Josiah Sloss racked up a 31-3 record on his junior campaign heading to regionals.
Edinburg High’s Emmanuel Duron put up a 36-5 record in his first year wrestling in the 220-pound weight-class.
La Joya High’s Michael De La Cruz is entering the tournament riding a 40-4 record in the 152 pound division.
In the girls ranks, among the many wrestlers to watch are Edinburg High’s Tanya Mendoza enters the tourney with a 33-7 record in the 110-pound weight class.
Edinburg Economedes’ Arlysa Sierra has a 26-2 record in the 165 pound weight-class.
Edinburg North’s Eva Cerda will look to punch her ticket back to state entering the tourney with a 35-2 record.
PSJA High’s 110-pound wrestler, Nayeli Hernandez, is heading into regionals with a 22-1 record.
Sharyland High’s Jerilyn Peralez pounded her way to regionals in the 95-pound weight-class and is entering the tourney with a 26-3 record.
“ Heading to regionals, hopefully I will move on to state and I’m going to put more work into my practice,” Peralez said.
HS Boys/Girls Wrestling
2020 UIL Boys Region 4-6A
at Littleton Gymnasium,
San Antonio
Saturday Feb. 14-15
Boys Qualifiers
Donna North
138 pound, Noyola, Jahaziel, 12, 12-16; 195 pound, Perez, Carlos, 12, 9-6; 220 pound, Miron, Bayton, 11, 2-1; 170; Alternate, Macias, Dominic, 11, 7-10; 182, Alternate; Resendez, Juan, 12,7-12; 285 Alternate, Galvan, Misael, 12, 4-9.
Edinburg High
106 pound, Sloss, Josiah, 11, 31-3; 113 pound, Leal, Alberto, 9, 2-1; 120 pound, Solis, Isaac, 10, 24-20; 126 pound, Lopez, Emiliano, 0-0; 138 pound, Mendoza, Manuel, 11, 11-6; 145 pound, Diaz, Efren,10, 16-10; 220 pound, Duron, Emmanuel, 11, 36-5; 285 pounds, Rodriguez, Javier, 11, 25-10; 132 pound, Alternate, Basaldu, Mark,10, 24-11; 195 pound, Alternate, Rico, Pedro, 10, 14-16.
Edinburg Economedes
126 pound, Hernandez, Juan, 12, 18-4; 132 pound, Del angel, Julian, 9, 17-8; 195 pound, Velez, Esdras, 12, 23-4; 138 Alternate, Garcia, Adrian, 11, 15-8; 145 pound, Alternate, Hinojosa, David, 9, 3-6.
Edinburg North
126 pound, Aleman, Andrew J.,10, 20-8; 138 pounds, Chavez, Michealangelo, 10, 21-7; 145 pound, Olivarez, Luis A., 10, 18-10; 152 pound, Maldonado, Moises, 11, 25-4; 195 pound, Garcia, Christopher J., 11, 32-9; 106 Alternate, Juarez, Christian a., 9, 0-2; 120 Alternate, Guerra, Rogelio, 10, 13-7.
Edinburg Vela
106 pound, Pena, Aaron, 9, 8-3; 120 pound Silva, Nicholas, 10, 21-9; 160 pound Alcala, Humberto, 12, 19-0; 170 pound, Arguello, Erik, 11, 11-4; 285 pound Leal, Chris, 11, 9-3; 113 pound, Alternate, Martinez, Jaaron,10, 1-3; 220 pound, Alternate, Rodriguez, Brian, 11, 11-7.
La Joya High
113 pound, Garza, Brandon, 10, 34-9; 120 pound, Ochoa, Andres, 10, 32-7; 145 pound, Gonzalez, Jacob, 12, 36-2; 152 pound, De la Cruz, Micheal, 11, 40-4; 182 pound, Rios, Antonio, 10, 11-9; 220 pound, Zamarripa, Rodolfo, 11, 25-11; 285 pound, Alternate, Quintana, Jason, 11, 1-3.
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln
106 pound, Bonilla, Jorge, 9, 12-7; 120 pound, Arismendiz, Jesus, 9,15-4; 126 pound, Doria, Carlos, 12, 15-0; 132 pound, Cerda, Jose, 12, 17-0; 145 pound, Gloria, Abel, 10, 22-6; 152 pound, Garcia, Andy, 13-11; 170 pound, Torres, Manuel, 12,10-4; 182 pounds, Hernandez, Kenth, 12, 5-1; 195 pound, Bonilla, Willi, 12, 18-1; 220 pound, Hernandez, Arian, 10-2; 285 pound, Tijerina, Mario, 11, 18-5; 160 pound, Alternate, Lugo, Gustavo, 11, 16-6.
Los Fresnos
106 pound, Almeida, Thiago, 10, 17-3; 113 pound, Thompson, Hunter, 9, 16-12; 120 pound, Rodriguez, Roman, 12, 23-1; 126 pound, Sosa, Fabian, 12, 16-4; 132 pound, Sauceda, Edgar, 12,12-9; 138 pound, Ponce, Kevin, 12,16-9; 145 pound, Solis, Ahram, 12, 2-0; 152 pound, Cadengo, Daniel, 11, 23-10; 160 pound, Trevino, Noah, 11, 22-10; 170 pound, Schulte, Sky, 11, 11-4; 182 pound, Silva, Derek, 10, 5-7; 195 pound, Hernandez, Samuel, 12, 14-0; 220 pound, Guerrero, Leeroy, 12, 14-4, 285 pound, Briones, Oziel, 10, 7-5.
McAllen High
132 pound, Garcia, Joshua, 10, 15-9. 138 pound, Delgado, Roberto, 12, 37-6; 160 pound, Trevino, Nicolas, 11,33-11; 170 pound, Garza II, Americo, 12, 16-1; 182 pound, Palomo, Jonathan, 12, 5-1; 195 pound, Arroyo, Salomon, 9, 15-11; 152 Alternate, Astudillo, Roman, 12, 5-3.
McAllen Memorial
182 pound, Munoz, Albert, 12, 27-8; 220 pound, Webber, William, 10, 6-8;
McAllen Rowe
106 pound, Gallegos, Aaron, 10, 19-13; 113 pound, Aleman, Andy, 11, 10-9; 152 pound,
Lozano, Petey, 12, 17-2; 160 pound, Wade III, James, 12, 19-6; 170 pound, Alternate,
Garcia, Juan, 12, 18-13; 182 pound alternate, Virrueta, George, 9, 10-2.
Mission High
113 pound, Soto, Adrian, 11, 22-8; 132 pound, Duran, Justin, 9, 2-2; 138 pound, Chavez, Ivan, 11, 12-4; 160 pound, Mann, Nikolas, 11, 31-10; 170 pound, Balderas, Luis, 10, 17-10; 285 pound, Lopez, Dante, 11, 30-2.
PSJA High
106 pound, Sanchez, Victor, 12, 1-1; 120 pound, Barrera, Maximiliano, 12, 23-3; 126 pound, Salinas, Elijah, 11, 10-8; 132 pound, Gonzalez, Gabriel, 11,12-9; 138 pound, Belmares, Rolando,12, 8-6; 145 pound, Garcia, Haven, 11, 30-10; 160 pound, Ceja, Jesus, 11, 25-7; 170 pound, Solis, Bryan, 12, 22-5; 285 pound, Sanchez, Joshua, 11, 13-5.
PSJA North
106 pound, Fernandez, Joe, 9, 0-2; 113 pound, Barbee, Robby, 9, 1-6; 126 pound, Ruiz, Jose, 12, 9-7; 138 pound, Lopez, Daniel, 12, 27-0; 145 pound, Zepeda, Seth, 9, 3-7; 152 pound, Herrera, Donovan, 10,13-2; 220 pound, Alternate, Salinas, Francisco, 12, 12-13.
Girls qualifiers
Donna North
95 pound, Resendez, Monica, 12, 13-6; 119 pound, Torres, Esmeralda, 9, 9-19; 148 pound, Contreras, Catarina, 12, 10-10; 215 pound, Perez, Dulce, 12, 13-17; Alt 128 pound, Torres, Rubi, 11, 10-12.
Edinburg High
110 pound, Mendoza, Tanya, 9, 33-7; 119 pound, Izaguirre, Yarely, 12, 33-10; 215 pound, Peralta, Leslie, 12, 25-15.
Edinburg Economedes
128 pound, Castillo, Desirae, 12, 18-5; 138 pound, Gonzalez, Karla, 12, 9-1; 165 pound,
Sierra, Arlysa, 10, 26-2; 185 pound, Hernandez, Jenna, 12, 18-8; 215 pound, Saenz, Kailey, 12, 7-2; Alt 95 pound, Torres, Jaylee, 11, 3-5.
Edinburg North
95 pound, Acuna, Emily Y., 9, 9-10; 102 pound, Gonzalez aguilera, Lizbeth 10, 12-10;
110 pound, Romo, Kimberly, 11, 17-7; 119 pound, Cerda, Eva D., 12, 35-2; 128 pound, Garza, Stephanie J., 12, 29-2; 138 pound, Aguilar, Venette A. 11, 11-9; 148 pound, Conde, Naydellyn, 11, 20-6; 165 pound, Salinas, Amber N., 11, 13-6; 185 pound, Sierra, Ashley R. 11, 27-4; 215 pound, Salinas, Jessica A., 12, 19-6.
Edinburg Vela
95 pound, Salinas, Lauren, 12, 1-2; 215 pound, Sauceda, Salma, 9, 3-7, Alt 165 pound, Barrientes, Brianna, 11, 7-13.
La Joya High
95 pound, Moreno, Brenda, 11, 30-9; 102 pound, Gonzales, Genisa, 10, 19-9; 110 pound, De la cruz, Britney, 10, 11-11; 138 pound, Rosas, Natalie, 11, 20-4; 148 pound, Cantu, Alina, 12, 32-12; Alt 128 pound, Fuentes, Margarita, 10, 5-4; Alt 185 pound, Velasquez, Anahi, 10, 8-7. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln
165 pound, Aldama, Jessica, 12, 15-14; 185 pound, Hernandez, Yamilex, 9,9-15; Alt 110 pound, Munoz, Jazmin, 10, 14-14; Alt 138 pound, Solis, Joanna, 11, 14-17; Alt 148 pound, Montalvo, Marilou, 11, 16-17; Alt 215 pound, Hernandez, Sherlyn, 2-5.
Los Fresnos
119 pound, De Leon, Sofia, 12, 14-9; 128 pound, Castro, Davia, 10, 17-15; 138 pound, Castillo, Paola, 11, 4-6; 148 pound, Moreno, Yireh, 9, 7-19; 185 pound, Reyes, Katie, 9, 15-10; 215 pound, Waters, Karen, 12, 8-4.
McAllen High
110 pound, Juarez, Stephany, 128 pound, Tellez, Celeste, 12, 24-4; 148 pound, Williams, Michelle, 10, 5-3; 185 pound, Rodriguez, Jocelyn, 10, 7-1; Alt 102 pound, Santana, Laryssa, 10, 8-7; Alt 119 pound, Velasco, Fernanda 12, 2-2.
McAllen Memorial
102 pound, Gomez, Maria, 10, 9-5; 119 pound, Gomez, Victoria, 11, 22-13; 128 pound, Saenz, Nallely, 10, 20-15; 138 pound, Delagarza, Serenity, 9, 32-5; 148 pound, Marroquin, Maya, 10, 23-4. McAllen Rowe
119 pound, Diaz, Daniela, 11, 24-7. Mission High
95 pound, Galot, Alma, 12, 14-13; 102 pound, Vega, Zenaida, 12, 21-6; 165 pound, Sandoval, Alexia, 12, 20-9.
PSJA High
102 pound, Marroquin, Karen, 10, 16-8; 110 pound, Hernandez, Nayeli, 12, 22-1; 119 pound, Solis, Teresa, 11, 18-4; 128 pound, Luevano, Priscilla, 11, 17-4; 138 pound, Saldana, Nancy, 12, 25-3; 165 pound, Recio, Arlette, 9, 7-16; 185 pound, Villanueva, Jessica, 10, 28-6; 215 pound, Coronado, Katelyn, 9, 1-7.
PSJA North
95 pound, Garza, Myracle, 10, 0-1; 148 pound, Martinez, Catherine, 12, 17-9; 185 pound, Hernandez, Amber, 11, 6-7.
2020 UIL Boys Region 4-5A
at AISD Delco Activity Center,
Austin
Feb. 14-15
Boys qualifiers
Edcouch-Elsa
106 pound, Arellano, Derick, 12, 22-5; 113 pound, Trevino, Mario, 12, 28-5; 120 pound, Cuellar, Osvaldo, 12, 19-17; 132 pound, Martinez, Adrian, 11, 29-6; 145 pound, Trujillo, Kevin, 12, 23-17; 152 pound, Salazar, Luis, 10, 15-9; 160 pound, Neves, Felipe, 12, 27-1; 170 pound, Garza, Joel, 12, 30-2; 182 pound, Uresti, Eresmo, 12, 20-5; 220 pound, Hernandez, Enrique, 12, 13-12; 285 pound, Gonzalez, Bobby, 12, 19-9.
Donna High
126 pound, Zavala, Rafael, 11, 24-7; 170 pound, Espinoza, Marc, 11, 14-10.
Grulla
132 pound, Flores, Rolando, 11, 22-8; 152 pound, Montalvo, Alberto, 11, 14-2; 182 pound, Wynne, Austin, 11, 9-2.
La Joya Palmview
138 pound, Zieske, Joseph, 12, 15-3.
Mission Veterans Memorial
152 pound, Ramirez, Luis, 11, 2-1; 160 pound, Villanueva, Leeroy, 10, 7-3.
PSJA Memorial
106 pound, Alvarado, Abel, 12, 19-1; 113 pound, Aguilera, Diego, 12, 30-4; 120 pound, Elizondo, Alberto Jesus, 10, 30-6; 126 pound, Castillo, Jonathan, 11, 24-12; 182 pound, Salyers Garcia, Santana Gabriel, 11, 19-5.
PSJA Southwest
113 pound, Juarez, Steve, 11, 13-6. Rio Grande City
132 pound, Trevino, Rene, 11, 12-2; 160 pound, Martinez, Pedro, 11, 12-20; 170 pound, Vela, Gregorio, 9, 24-13; 195 pound, Resendez, Roel, 12, 24-9; 285 pound, Stafford, Aidan, 9, 10-12.
Roma
152 pound, Munoz, Eliberto, 11, 9-6; 160 pound, Alaniz, Carlos, 10, 20-9; 195 pound, Rios, Jonathan, 12, 17-5; 220 pound, Villareal, David, 10, 11-8; 285 pound, Moreno, Antonio, 11, 19-10.
Sharyland High
106 pound, Mendoza, Alberto, 9, 37-8; 120 pound, Cruz, Jesus, 11, 15-9; 145 pound, Rodriguez, Moses, 10, 29-14; 170 pound, Pascual, Santino, 12, 21-7; 195 pound, Martinez, Daniel, 12, 18-11; 220 pound, Martinez, Gabriel, 12, 17-14.
Valley View
113 pound, Brenner, Jose, 12, 15-14; 138 pound, Gonzalez, Alberto, 11, 18-7; 145 pound, Flores, Eivar, 11, 24-11.
Girls Qualifiers
Donna High
110 pound, Trevino, Neida, 11, 2-4; 148 pound, Cruz, Karla, 12, 21-9; 185 pound, Yanez, Kayla, 12, 15-12; 215 pound, Hernandez, Precious, 12, 18-1.
Edcouch-Elsa
95 pound, Garcia, Leilani, 11, 16-14; 110 pound, Lopez, Baby, 9, 10-3; 128 pound, Gallegos, Teresa, 11, 14-8; 165 pound, Carrillo, Arely, 9, 9-18.
Grulla
102 pound, Garza, Bridny, 11, 20-4.
La Joya Palmview
128 pound, Garza, Brooklyn, 9, 24-14; 148 pound, Aleman, Ashley, 12, 3-0; 165 pound, Rivas, Judith, 11, 34-4; 185 pound, Guardado, Liliana 10, 17-7.
Mission Veterans Memorial
138 pound, Sanchez, Mia, 12, 5-4.
PSJA Memorial
102 pound, Peralez, Isabella, 12, 17-7; 119 pound, Lopez, Iris, 11, 14-8; 128 pound, Moreno, Genesis, 9, 17-8; 138 pound, Lopez, Brianda, 12, 21-8; 185 pound, Torres, Lorena, 10, 23-7; 215 pound, Rendon, Emily, 11, 20-10.
PSJA Sothwest
102 pound, Reyes, Graciela, 11, 22-8. Rio Grande City
110 pound, Reyes, Karina, 11, 13-12; 119 pound, Benavides, Emma, 11, 22-17; 138 pound, Lopez, Jennifer, 11, 17-16; 165 pound, Garza, Kimberly, 10, 7-13; 215 pound, Villarreal, Rachel, 11, 15-7.
Sharyland High
95 pound, Peralez, Jerilyn’. 12, 26-3; 102 pound, Ramirez, Kaitlyn, 10, 9-7; 110 pound, Lopez, Stephanie 12, 17-13; 128 pound, Sustaita, Maryjane, 12, 19-9; 148 pound, Ayala, Viviana, 11, 26-14; 165 pound, Zarate, Yarisbeth, 9, 22-10.
Valley View
119 pound, Martinez, Dafne, 11, 20-6; 185 pound, Garza-Medina, Yadira, 11, 20-13.