Three Mingus Union High School wrestlers qualified for the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division III state tournament after top three finishes at the Division III, Section IV meet on Saturday, Feb. 3.
Seniors Lucas Svoboda [145] and Nick Doerksen [152] won their weight classes, giving them a high seed in the state tournament, set for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10, at the Prescott Valley Event Center.
Sophomore Ryan Griffin was the third qualifier, taking third in the 220-pound weight class. The team took seventh overall.
“I’m really happy for our two seniors, really proud of their performances — they both became section champions,” Mingus head coach Klint McKean said. “We were definitely hoping for more [state qualifiers]. The last couple weeks of the season we had quite a few injuries and sicknesses to deal with.
“I thought we could have taken five, six wrestlers to state. So to get three is disappointing, but we’re happy for those three. I think all three of them can place at state and they all have that ability and that’s what we’re focusing on now.”
Svoboda pinned his way through the sectional, defeating Page High School junior Hayden Gracia in the finals. The last time the two wrestled, McKean said, Svoboda won by just one point.
It was the first tournament championship for Doerksen.
Trent Miller, a junior who took fifth place at last year’s state meet, was 0.2 pounds overweight before the sectional, which disqualified him.
