Wrestling: Trojans capture 3A Southern Regional title, set sights up north for state
Watch out Winnemucca.
There’s quite a few hungry challengers coming to your small town.
Eighteen of them to be exact.
After finishing as runners-up the last two years, the Trojans captured the Class 3A Southern Regional championship last Saturday at Virgin Valley High School for the first time since February 2023.
“It was a really wide range of emotions. Lot of pride in the team and our seniors, some disappointment for our guys that didn’t quite get the results that they wanted, but overall just really grateful,” first-year program head coach Antonio Sandoval said.
With the southern regional title in hand, the Trojans will head up north this Thursday to the Winnemucca Events Center looking to come home as state champions.
The Class 3A State Championships are slated to run Feb. 13-14.
The top four placers in each weight class from the Southern Region/League/Qualifier and the top four placers in each weight class in the Northern Region/League/Qualifier will advance to the eight-wrestler bracket.
The championship portion of each bracket is single-elimination. The consolation part of the bracket wrestles to a third-place match.
“It feels like it’s been a lot longer than two years since we last won the region, so to get the team back up on top was awesome and a testament to just how hard we have been working,” Sandoval said. “The recipe won’t be changing much, state titles are won through hard work and discipline. We’ve been working our tails off and have shown a lot of discipline throughout the season.”
Pahrump Valley Wrestling captured the 2025-2026 Class 3A Southern Regional Championship at Virgin Valley High School. 📹: Jace Wulfenstein pic.twitter.com/F5smfUKyal
— JP (@jaypowers__) February 10, 2026
State Schedule
Time Schedule (after the first round each day, all times are approximate)
Session I — Friday, February 13
- 10 a.m. Weigh-ins (by weight class)
- 10:30 a.m. Warm-ups begin
- 12 p.m. Class 5A Round of 16 matches (8 mats)
- 12:40 p.m. Championship Quarterfinals in all classes (8 mats)
- Matches will continue based on available mats
- Approximately 6 p.m. — Championship Semifinals
Session II — Saturday, February 14
- 7 a.m. Weigh-ins (by weight class)
- 7:30 a.m. Warm-ups begin
- 9 a.m. Consolation Semifinals in all classes (8 mats)
- Matches will continue based on available mats
- 1:30 p.m. Championship finals begin
- Awards ceremony will commence after the final match
Class 3A Southern Regional Final Results
1) Pahrump Valley: 235
2) Moapa Valley: 207.5
3) Boulder City: 148
4) Virgin Valley: 120
5) The Meadows: 97
6) Equipo: 56
“I am grateful for all of our supporters, our assistant coaches, our leaders on the team and the admin that has had my back and helped me out a lot, and all of my coaches throughout my wrestling journey,” said Sandoval after capturing the regional title. “Going into this year I knew we were capable of having team success and we definitely outperformed what I was expecting.”
Class 3A Southern Regional Individual Results
106 pounds
Championship: Timothy Stutzman, Pahrump Valley, p. King Walker, Moapa Valley, 1:30
First — Timothy Stutzman, Pahrump Valley
Second — King Walker, Moapa Valley
Third — vacant
Fourth — vacant
“Stutzman has been a stud for us this year, wish we could have had him for a few more years but I am super glad he came out for us this year,” Sandoval said. “He has done everything we have asked of him this year even when he’s been a little banged up. Plus being a first-year varsity wrestler and being a region champ is incredible as well.”
113 pounds
Championship: Malachi Jordan, Virgin Valley p. Ethan Rouse, Pahrump Valley, 5:37
First — Malachi Jordan, Virgin Valley
Second — Ethan Rouse, Pahrump Valley
Third — Boden Bradshaw, Boulder City
Fourth — Tucker Boatright, Virgin Valley
120 pounds
Championship: Connor Wolfley, Moapa Valley, d. Zachary Hulderson, Pahrump Valley, 10-9
First — Connor Wolfley, Moapa Valley
Second — Zachary Hulderson, Pahrump Valley
Third — Joseph Scheer, Pahrump Valley
Fourth — Collin Baeza, Virgin Valley
126 pounds
Championship: Brandon Avila-Ramos, The Meadows, d. Morris Wolfley, Moapa Valley, 12-3
First — Brandon Avila-Ramos, The Meadows
Second — Morris Wolfley, Moapa Valley
Third — Zelin Kamanu, Pahrump Valley
Fourth — Tyson Houston, Moapa Valley
132 pounds
Championship: Stetson Houston, Moapa Valley, p. Grayson Kim, The Meadows, 4:36
First — Stetson Houston, Moapa Valley
Second — Grayson Kim, The Meadows
Third — Joaquin Flores, Pahrump Valley
Fourth — Erick Garza, Boulder City
138 pounds
Championship: Caleb Anderson, Moapa Valley, p. Micah Woods, Virgin Valley, 3:01
First — Caleb Anderson, Moapa Valley Second — Micah Woods, Virgin Valley
Third — Jacob McLaughlin, Pahrump Valley
Fourth — Jackson Buettner, Boulder City
144 pounds
Championship: Otis Ruth, Boulder City, p. Tred Cameron, Moapa Valley, 0:53
First — Otis Ruth, Boulder City
Second — Tred Cameron, Moapa Valley
Third — Benjamin De Santiago, Pahrump Valley
Fourth — Wesley Cruff, Pahrump Valley
150 pounds
Championship: Coen Burrows, Boulder City, d. Jayden Crisler, Pahrump Valley, 16-1
First — Coen Burrows, Boulder City
Second — Jayden Crisler, Pahrump Valley
Third — Agustin Macas, Virgin Valley
Fourth — Trenton Bunch, Moapa Valley
“Crisler has been another workhorse for us, just being a fantastic leader in the room every day and backing that up every time he steps out on the mat,” Sandoval said.
157 pounds
Championship: Jared Fox, The Meadows, p. Austin Alvarez, Pahrump Valley, 5:01
First — Jared Fox, The Meadows
Second — Austin Alvarez, Pahrump Valley
Third — Nathaniel Lewis, Boulder City
Fourth — Grant Conger, Moapa Valley
165 pounds
Championship: Ryker Katich, Moapa Valley, d. Paul Walker, Pahrump Valley, 20-9
First — Ryker Katich, Moapa Valley
Second — Paul Walker, Pahrump Valley
Third — Julian Vargas, Boulder City
Fourth — Isaac Martinez, Equipo
175 pounds
Championship: Nikolas Gallardo, The Meadows, d. Jayden Staley, Moapa Valley, 20-2
First — Nikolas Gallardo, The Meadows
Second — Jayden Staley, Moapa Valley
Third — Danny Duron, Equipo
Fourth — Mason Whitney, Pahrump Valley
190 pounds
Championship: William Sparks, Pahrump Valley, d. Jacob Stepp, Pahrump Valley, 20-3
First — William Sparks, Pahrump Valley
Second — Jacob Stepp, Pahrump Valley
Third — Felix Ramirez, Moapa Valley
Fourth — Jaxon Potter, Virgin Valley
215 pounds
Championship: Iyan Bosket, Pahrump Valley, p. Jaden Flores, Virgin Valley, 0:58
First — Iyan Bosket, Pahrump Valley
Second — Jaden Flores, Virgin Valley
Third — Rajhul Rodriguez, Equipo
Fourth — Marlon Garcia, Pahrump Valley
285 pounds
Championship: Julio Ackerman, Pahrump Valley, p. Ollie Zunga, Virgin Valley, 4:28
First — Julio Ackerman, Pahrump Valley
Second — Ollie Zunga, Virgin Valley
Third — Steele Meeks, Moapa Valley
Fourth — Carson Senger, Boulder City
“Ackerman has also been wrestling really well this year for us. He took two years to learn and get the feel and instincts for wrestling, and now as a junior he is a region champ. He works really hard and definitely deserves everything he has earned this season,” Sandoval said.
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
