HEREFORD — Two days. Two gyms. Six mats. Fifty four teams. A vast multitude of wrestlers eager to pick up medal and a spot on the podium.
After a one-year hiatus, the 25th annual Hereford Rumble provided grapplers and teams a glimpse of the road ahead. Once the dust settled on the two day battle royale held at the Whiteface Gym and the Hereford Junior High Double Gym, several teams and competitors picked up some momentum heading into a crucial part of the winter season.
Plenty of those teams and wrestlers hailed from the Texas Panhandle and the South Plains.
On the boys side, Canyon rose to the top of the team standings. Thanks to three champions, two third place wrestlers and three fourth place competitors, the Eagles raked in a total of 607 points.
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According to Canyon boys coach Dalton Clear, it was a good weekend at the office.
“We challenged our kids (Friday) morning,” Clear said. “This is a tournament we want to come in and win, because there are a lot of district seeds here, lots of regional looks and we get some Fort Worth kids come in and try to see what that looks like. Anytime we can come in and compete at that level is really good for our team. I’m proud of them.”
Connor Armstrong was one of the Eagles’ three champs. Armstrong powered through the 157-pound bracket, defeating all of his opponents via pinfall.
Armstrong overcame some anxiety, before pinning Boys Ranch’s Gavin Elbersh in 1:32.
“I was really nervous, because it is only my second time being in the championship on varsity,” said Armstrong. “There were a lot more people in the gym than there were when we were just doing the prelims. It was a pretty tough match, and (Elbersh) is a good wrestler. I really respect him.”
Clear had plenty of praise for Armstrong, Isac Arteaga and Taylor Medrano. Medrano enjoyed the most thrilling victory for the Eagles, pinning Lubbock High’s Carlos Cortez in 2:50 to win the 215 lbs. championship.
“To see Taylor pull out that win, that was big time for him,” said Clear. “I’m so proud of that kid, just because of what he’s been able to do. He overcame quite a bit to come out here and do this.”
Propelled by four champions, Lubbock High took second in the team standings with 582 points. The Westerners were led by Josiah Medrano, who won the 190 lbs. bracket and was named the Rumble’s Boys Outstanding Wrestler.
Caprock locked into third with 570.5 points and boasted one champion in Christian Casarez. Elk City, Okla., and Fort Worth Chisholm Trail rounded out the top five. West Plains, Palo Duro, Hereford, Amarillo High and Bushland fleshed out the top 10.
The Herd, who hosted the Rumble, did finish with an individual champion in Qaletre Garcia (126-pound) and a runner-up in Jimmy Garcia (132 lbs.).
“We had kids who were coming back from injuries,” said Ryan Olivarez, Hereford’s wrestling coach. “We had kids who had been out for a while, and we had a lot of kids move weight classes and did what they had to do. We’re going to keep pushing just as hard as we did (leading up to the Rumble), and hope that we can wrestlers contending at the state level.”
While Fort Worth Chisholm Trail claimed first in the girls’ team standings, Palo Duro took second place with four individual champions, two runners-up and 455.5 points. Jency Twee, who earned the 110 lbs. championship for the Lady Dons, was named the Rumble’s Girls Outstanding Wrestler.
Twee fought her way through seven matches, winning each one via pinfall. In the title match, Twee pinned Canyon’s Lynlee Bice’s shoulders to the mat in 1:39.
“I wanted to come in with confidence,” Twee said. “I was a little nervous at first, but I wanted to make my team happy. I had some tough competition, like (Elk City’s Melodie Martinez). She was really good. I just want to keep pushing myself hard, and I want to keep putting in my work. I want to grind, make sure that I can reach my goals at district and regionals, and go to state.”
Genesis Cerda (120-pound.), Xazanya Gonzalez (145) and Jasmine Vick (170) won their respective brackets, while Jazzlynn Sollano (115) and Mallah Hase (190) settled for second place in their classes.
“I’m really proud of my friends,” Twee said of her team’s collective performance. “They really push me to be my best. We have a pretty solid team and we’re mostly efficient with our work. We’re really going to do well in the weeks ahead.”
Hereford landed third in the team standings with 442.5 points, due to boasting two champions and two runners-up. Layla Ortiz earned the top spot in the 135-pound bracket, and Valori Porter won the 155-pound championship with a 10-6 decision over Lubbock Monterey’s Keyondra Villagran.
Lyla Zambrano (140) and Janielle Hill (145) placed second in their respective brackets.
“They worked hard, every single one of them,” Olivarez said of the Lady Whitefaces’ weekend on the mat. “They’re diehards, and that’s the mentality they have to have. They are phenomenal wrestlers. We’re still growing. Now they know what to face. If you got second place, now you know what to face. If you got first, it doesn’t stop there.”
Tascosa boasted three individual champions in Samantha Marmolejo (125-pound), Presley King (140) and Arylah Cofer (235). This allowed the Lady Rebels to take fourth in the team standings with 439 points.
Canyon rounded out the top five, followed by Randall, Lubbock High, Lubbock Monterey, Bushland and the Lady Raiders’ junior varsity.
When he wasn’t coaching, Olivarez was emceeing the two-day tournament. During the championship rounds, he served as both as coach and announcer.
However, putting together the Rumble wasn’t a one-person endeavor. It took a whole village.
“It’s fun, but it’s exhausting,” said Olivarez. “I’ve been to so many tournaments with our kids that we’ve seen it done great and we’re seen it done poor. It’s those little things that make the kids feel good. Heather Burks is the best tournament director that I’ve ever worked with. Because of her, our tournament workers, the coaches that we hire and because of the parents, the tournament ran smoothly.”
“We enjoyed this, and we want to come back next year,” Olivarez added. “It’s a great thing for everybody.”
2026 Hereford Rumble results
Boys Team Standings (Top 10)
1. Canyon 607
2. Lubbock High 582
3. Caprock 570.5
4. Elk City, Okla. 412.5
5. Fort Worth Chisholm Trail 398.5
6. West Plains 391
7. Palo Duro 317.5
8. Hereford 291.5
9. Amarillo High 269.5
10. Bushland 219
Girls Team Standings (Top 10)
1. Fort Worth Chisholm Trail 490.5
2. Palo Duro 455.5
3. Hereford 442.5
4. Tascosa 439
5. Canyon 415
6. Randall 401.5
7. Lubbock High 360
8. Lubbock Monterey 305
9. Bushland 228
10. Randall JV 167.5
Boys Individual Champions
106 lbs. – Enrique Dioses, Lubbock High.
113 lbs. – Isac Arteaga, Canyon.
120 lbs. – Ethan Orat, Fort Worth Chisholm Trail.
126 lbs. – Qaletre Garcia, Hereford.
132 lbs. – Christian Casarez, Caprock.
138 lbs. – Riley Clark, Bushland.
144 lbs. – Javen Medrano, Lubbock High.
150 lbs. – Michael Castillo, West Plains.
157 lbs. – Connor Armstrong, Canyon.
165 lbs. – Lucas White, Lubbock High.
175 lbs. – Quaylon Mason, Fort Worth Chisholm Trail.
190 lbs. – Josiah Medrano, Lubbock High.
215 lbs. – Taylor Medrano, Canyon.
285 lbs. – Foste Katembo, West Plains.
Girls Individual Champions
100 lbs. – Lillian McHam, Randall.
105 lbs. – Felicity Tarango, Lubbock High.
110 lbs. – Jency Twee, Palo Duro.
115 lbs. – Kenzie Manning, Elk City (Okla.).
120 lbs. – Genesis Cerda, Palo Duro.
125 lbs. – Samantha Marmolejo, Tascosa.
130 lbs. – Macey Jeffrey, Randall.
135 lbs. – Layla Ortiz, Hereford.
140 lbs. – Presley King, Tascosa.
145 lbs. – Xazanya Gonzalez, Palo Duro.
155 lbs. – Valori Porter, Hereford.
170 lbs. – Jasmine Vick, Palo Duro.
190 lbs. – Shalanne Brown, Lubbock Monterey.
235 lbs. – Arylah Cofer, Tascosa.