Entering the final week of an abbreviated regular season, it appears increasingly likely that there will be a new team state wrestling champ, at least in Division III.

That team looks increasingly likely to be one from Northern Arizona, as Mingus Union High School remains undefeated entering its final dual Wednesday, March 3, at Section III rival Shadow Mountain High School.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” said Marauders head coach Klint McKean, pointing out the 10 goals for his team on the wall of its practice room, including going undefeated in team duals. “It’s a confidence boost for our kids. It’s great to see their improvement.”

Bradshaw Mountain head coach Bud Nollet agreed that Mingus has to be considered No. 1 in Division III, on the strength of five undefeated wrestlers, including McKean’s 138-pound son Isaac, a junior: 106-pound sophomore Brody Townsend, 132-pound sophomore Kai Miller, 160-pound senior Sergio Vasquez and 170-pound senior Conrad Brady.

“They set the bar,” Nollet said Feb. 17 following a 38-36 win over rival Prescott High School. “We’re coming for them, though.”

Also coming for Mingus is Coconino High School--8-3 overall but with just one sectional loss, Feb. 10 at Thunderbird--which handed Southern Arizona favorite Sahuarita its second straight loss, 41-39, Friday, Feb. 27. 

The Panthers, featuring 6-2 junior Tony Hernandez, a State contender at 113 pounds, travel to Prescott High School for their final regular-season dual Friday, March 5.

Although it is considered a Freedom match, the 6-4 Badgers need as many individual winners as possible against the Panthers to qualify for the Section I tournament Saturday, March 13, at Chino Valley High School.

Home wins over Coconino and sectional rival Lee Williams on Wednesday, March 3, became particularly imperative for Prescott after its controversial two-point road loss Feb. 17 to the Bears,.

Going into the final three weight classes of the sectional dual, Prescott led Bradshaw by 13 points.

Although Badgers sophomore Landen Francis lost three points off that lead after his 11-8 decision to unbeaten 195-pound junior Nick Foshee, the Badgers still led, 36-26, entering the 220-pound and heavyweight tilts.

“That one was important to us,” Nollet said after the match. “[It was] too close for comfort.”

Although Francis took responsibility for his second loss of the season, a bigger factor was five Prescott forfeits, which would cost the Badgers a total of 30 points.

“I wish I was watching the score, honestly, so I’d know what I’d need to get out there and get it done. But I didn’t, so that’s on me,” Francis said after his second loss of the season. “I, personally, just need to get in better shape. I was gassed out there in the second period.”

It was not Francis’ fault that Foshee, one of three unbeaten Division III wrestlers at 182 pounds, was wrestling up a weight class after pinning all nine of his other opponents.

Francis was also not responsible for the Prescott forfeits, one of which came at 152 pounds. Claiming victory there was Bradshaw Mountain junior Tyler Dilcher, who remains the favorite to qualify for the state tournament from sectionals, even though he relinquished his undefeated status Friday, Feb. 20, in an 18-4 Major Decision to unbeaten senior Seth Fernandez of Combs High School. 

“We definitely won the matches wrestled,” Prescott co-head-coach Cody Collett said immediately following the match.  “We would’ve had a few more weight classes filled if it hadn’t been for COVID[-19].”

Besides the win by Foshee and Bradshaw senior Blake Huenemeyer, who also won his 138-pound match with sophomore Joseph Willoughby on a technical fall, 17-1, Collett was otherwise correct. 

“Would’ve been the difference, no question,” Collett added. “No excuses. They had more guys, they beat us, so good for them.”

But the controversy came after everybody had gone home, when Prescott would claim Bradshaw scored one of its forfeits using an ineligible wrestler.

“We did contest the final score of the match,” Collett’s co-head coach, Jack Perkins, e-mailed Feb. 25. “But we would have had to contest it within 30 minutes, which would have meant we would have won the dual 36-32 instead of losing 38-36.”

This was necessary despite Perkins’ son, Jackson, dealing his 145-pound opponent, sophomore Asher King, his first loss of the season. The only other Northern Arizona wrestler in their weight class who can compete with their record is Mohave High School senior Trevor Salahub, who has one loss in his seven duals.

For his part, Nollet clarified in a March 1 e-mail that the wrestler was ineligible due to "purely a rule interpretation error on our part, which should have been contested at that moment," he said. "As per several our coaching staff, several referees that we consulted with and other local coaches, we thought that what we did was legit and legal as per the rule book."

Ultimately, the Head AIA Rule Book interpreter determined, the wrestler should have only been allowed to compete at the 106- or 113-pound weight class and should not have been able to take the forfeit at 120, Nollet added. 

But the result of the match stood since Prescott did not ask for that interpretation within 30 minutes of the end of the match. "We accept the interpretation and thanked the AIA for the clarification," Nollet said. 

“I thought we did” defeat Bradshaw, 8-1 senior Lincoln Eby said following his pin of Bears junior Kaleb Hill in the 170-pound match. “Our whole team was just grinding, and it looked like things were going well. Still, we almost tied a great team.”

Controversy aside, the real test of greatness for both Prescott and Bradshaw will come at sectionals. There, Nollet hopes to qualify 10 wrestlers for the Division III state tournament, while Francis hopes six, if not more, Badgers will qualify to wrestle Thursday, March 18, at Poston Butte High School.

“I think, like any other sport, regular season’s practice,” McKean added. “In the end, our dual record is not that important, compared to our sectional and State performances. That’s what we’re gearing up for.”

Other unbeaten Northern Arizona wrestlers by weight class and dual record:

• 106: Brody Townsend, Mingus, sophomore, 10-0
• 113: Cole Housley, Show Low, senior, 9-0
• 120: Nickolas Phillips, junior, Coconino, 9-0
• 126: Colby Evens, Chino Valley, senior, 11-0
• 132: Kai Miller, Mingus, sophomore, 8-0
• 138: Isaac McKean, Mingus, junior, 9-0; Cooper French, Coconino, sophomore, 10-0
• 145: Jackson Perkins, Prescott, freshman, 10-0
• 160: Sergio Vasquez, senior, Mingus, 7-0 
• 170: Conrad Brady, Mingus, senior, 9-0
• 182: Nick Foshee, Bradshaw Mountain, senior, 12-0; Travis Christianson, Payson, junior, 12-0; Payton Wayman, junior, Lee Williams, 9-0
• 195: Dakota McMains, Chino Valley, junior, 12-0
• 220: Soto Sellis, Payson, senior, 12-0
• 285: Zach Allen, Lee Williams, senior, 9-0