Three Mingus Union High School wrestlers competed at the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division III state championship on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 9 and 10, at the Prescott Valley Event Center.
Senior Nick Doerksen, who came off of his first tournament win at the Division III, Section IV meet finished in fourth overall. Doerksen was the No. 2 overall seed in the 152-pound weight class, but lost in the championship semifinals in an 8-5 decision.
The loss dropped him to consolation semifinals, which he won before losing the third place match to Walden Grove High School senior Gabriel Lopez 5-2. Doerksen ended his senior season with a 54-14 record.
Senior Lucas Svoboda took fifth in the 145-pound weight class after being the runner-up last season. Svoboda was the top seed, but he lost in the quarterfinals in a sudden victory defeat, 5-3.
Svoboda then pinned, won a 3-2 decision, then lost in a 5-4 decision in the consolation semifinals.
He got revenge in the fifth place match, beating Rio Rico High School junior Sergio Romero in a 4-2 decision. Romero had beaten Svoboda in the sudden victory decision in the quarterfinals.
Sophomore Ryan Griffin [220] made it to the state tournament for the first time. He went 1-2 overall, losing the first round match via pin.
His win came in the following match, a 5-1 decision, before losing 3-0 to eliminate him from the medal round.
