Wrestling Rams rout Queen Creek team

The Maricopa High School wrestling team concluded the regular season by defeating Tempe and Queen Creek San Tan Foothills while losing to Gilbert Campo Verde in a quadrangular meet on Wednesday.

The host Rams won eight of 11 contested matches in posting a 49-27 victory over Tempe. They added another win by forfeit while losing a pair of forfeited matches in weight classes where they did not have a wrestler.

Maricopa took four of six contested matches and benefited from six forfeits in routing San Tan Foothills 55-18.

Campo Verde, meanwhile, has become a recurring nemesis for Maricopa, as the Coyotes prevailed 43-24 for their third victory this month over the Rams.

“I like the decisions our wrestlers are making on the mat,” Maricopa coach Conroy Bowman said. “They are being very methodical. I think they are not as fluent as far as putting combinations together. In practice, we are trying to continually put one move after another.”

Adolfo Franco, Shakeil Becker, Joey Kelly and Kyle Kingery each won all three of their matches in Wednesday’s meet for the Rams.

Franco, a 140-pound junior, pinned Marico Salgado of Tempe and earned an 11-9 decision over Campo Verde’s Mohammed Mousa. Franco won his match against San Tan Foothills by forfeit.

Becker, a 145-pound senior, pinned Fernando Lopez of Campo Verde and won major decisions over Thomas Vale of Tempe (by a 14-4 score) and Miguel Villegas of San Tan Foothills (by a count of 15-1).

Kelly, a 171-pound senior who placed third in his weight class at last weekend’s Pack Invitational at Peoria Centennial, pinned Tempe’s Autro Garcia during Wednesday’s quad meet and won two matches by forfeit.

Kingery, a 189-pound sophomore, posted a 7-3 decision over Mario Stenger of Tempe and defeated Chance Stone of San Tan Foothills by a score of 9-2. Kingery won his match against Campo Verde by forfeit.

Sky Murcek (a 103-pound freshman who placed fourth in his weight class in last weekend’s tournament at Centennial), Collin Blackburn (112), Ryan Doughtery (125), Louis Ochoa (152) and Sean Dodge (215) each finished 2-1 during Wednesday’s meet for Maricopa.

Ochoa, a senior, was wrestling in his first event of the season.

“It was definitely nice to have him at this final stage,” Bowman said.

The meet was the last of the regular season for the Rams, who now will focus upon preparing for Division III sectional competition. The sectional meet will take place Feb. 4-5 at Tucson Empire High School.