Four wrestlers earn Reader’s Choice Wrestler of the Week

BY BRANT PARSONS — With the chaos of a region tournament weekend and state brackets coming out on Sunday. We wanted to make sure there was attention for the wrestlers who were voted Reader’s Choice Wrestlers of the Week for last week (and I was still finishing up region previews at lunchtime on Thursday).

We will take nominations for this week later today, hoping for a voting day on Wednesday and announcement Thursday before the state tournament begins.

Celebration’s Alea Morales is competing in her first state tournament this week. (Photo courtesy of Celebration wrestling)

In the girls category, Celebration’s Alea Morales earned 35% of the vote to earn the honor. The Celebration junior reached the blood round last year as a sophomore and this year she shook off a slow start to the season to reach her goal of a state tournament qualification.

Her coach nominated her and said she is one of the hardest working athletes he has coached.

“When asked what her goal was for the season, she didn't hesitate in saying she was going to make it to state,” Celebration girls coach Charles Simpson said. “She was the first one to practice everyday and usually one of the last ones to leave. She has been dedicated since that loss last season to getting to where she is today and she's not done yet.”

We had so many nominations on the boys side, that we split them into each classification for the the vote.

North Bay Haven’s Bear Siegal after winning the district title. (Photo courtesy of Siegal family)

In Class 1A, Bear Siegal won the vote with 22% of the tally.

Siegal missed six weeks with a serious elbow injury and returned for the postseason, winning his second district tittle in a row.

"When he first you hurt he was lying there telling us he wasn’t done and was going to be back this season," North Bay Haven coach Zane Turnipseed said. "He really showed a lot of heart going out there with limited time to get in shape and battling though a tough weight class."

His North Bay Haven team also won the team district title.

Matanzas’ Jordan Mills has his hand raised after winning the prestigious Knockout Christmas Classic back in December. (Photo by Brant Parsons/Kabra Wrestling)

The Class 2A Reader’s Choice Wrestler of the Week was Matanzas’ Jordan Mills. He earned the honor after winning a district title and gathered 26% of the votes.

His top-ranked sister Mariah nominated him after he pinned his way to the district final and then beat the #2 wrestler for the title.

Both he and his sister are undefeated on the season.

Douglas’ Rocco Duygulu has his arm raised after winning a second district-title. (Photo courtesy of Douglas Wrestling)

Douglas’ Rocco Duygulu picked up 35% of the vote in Class 3A to earn the title of top vote-getter there.

The junior 106-pounder won his second straight district title and was nominated for the good year he is having.

“Rocco is a true leader on and off the mat,” Douglas coach Kenny Gendason said. “He brings the best out of his teammates. His commitment in the off season is amazing as he is the field goal kicker on the football team and would go from playing Friday night games to wrestling in Saturday tournaments.”