Cholla heavyweight Doss hoping to capture first wrestling title

As Jerome Doss walks into Cholla’s wrestling room, it doesn’t take long to figure out why he’s had plenty of success this season.

His broad shoulders complement his 265-pound athletic frame. He stands tall with the kind of confidence that others notice. He is soft spoken and answers questions with an awkwardness that comes from not being accustomed to the attention. But the senior better be ready for some attention this weekend.

Doss is Cholla’s heavyweight wrestler he he’ll be competing for a title at the Division II state meet in Prescott Valley, which begins Thursday. This is not his first trip to the big state: Doss went 21-6 and finished third a year ago.

As the heavyweight, many eyes are on Doss. Throughout his career wrestling fans in Southern Arizona have grown to know who he is.

“Wherever we go when people think of Cholla wrestling they think of this guy,” Cholla coach Robert Soza-Villanueva said. “After his sophomore year they would ask, ‘What’s that kids name?’ Now they just know Doss. ‘Oh shoot, you have to wrestle Doss? You better be ready.”’

Not bad for a kid who walked into the wrestling room two years ago with no experience. Assistant coach Michael Hensley put a bug in his ear about trying out and he obliged.

“I never thought I would be in wrestling,” Doss said. “I got his hint that he really wanted me to wrestle and I took his word. I kept my word and I’m glad I did wrestling is a fun sport.”

Even though Doss lacked the experience many of Southern Arizona’s elite wrestlers, his potential was evident early on. Soza-Villanueva still remembers his first bout.

“By the time he was going to be a senior, once he figured out the game, got his moves down, and put in that hard work he would be fighting for a state championship,” Soza-Villanueva said. “We said it that day three years ago and now here we are.”

Doss is not only a two-sport athlete but he also contributes to the I Love Reading program, where members of the wrestling team visit local elementary schools and read to the young children. He also helps coach in the junior wrestling program aimed at giving young kids exposure to wrestling.

When the tournament concludes Friday evening, it will be the last time Doss gets to compete on the wrestling mat for Cholla and it is something that he has been on his mind.

“This week is the last week and it’s hit me hard, ” Doss said, “I’ve been thinking about all the stuff I’ve been through in wrestling and how I can improve myself for this tournament.”

This time around, Doss carries a 34-4 record into the state meet and is the No. 2 seed in his weight class. After competing in the state tournament for two years in a row and placing third place as a junior, Doss came into his final season with one thing on his mind.

“My only expectation is to win state, Doss said. “It’s been my biggest goal and my only goal”

DIVISION I STATE TOURNAMENT

First-round matchups with Southern Arizona wrestlers

106 – Jarman, MESA vs. Rivera, TUC; Loaiza, SU vs. Billing, IR.

113 – Vega, IR vs. Rodriguez, BASH.

120 – Bravo-Young, SS, vs. Sulentic, MAR; Ciminera, MILL vs. Cunha, IR.

126 – Salazar III, SS vs. Hewlett, PINN; Preder, MAR vs. Masterson, GILB; Pool, TUC vs. Rossi, DEMO; McMinn, DERI vs. Klass, IR.

132 – Laguna, SS, Cox, DEMO; Williams, MU vs. Snyder, BUE; Pawlek, DERI vs. Kline, IR.

138 – Perez, CIBO vs. Hernandez, SS; Calzadillas, IR vs. Diggs, MILL; Silva, TUC vs. Booth, MU.

145 – Taylor, IR vs. Palomino, CE; Nadler, MAR vs. Keeler, REMO; Fullmer, HIGH vs. Salazar, SS.

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152 – Lind, IR vs. Pickings, WE; Hogan, MAR vs. Perkins, CE; Merrill, SDO vs. Tena SS.

160 – Proper, MAR vs. Dominguez, IR.

170 – Frias, SS vs. Deegan, BOCR; Fill, CDS vs. Mansman, IR.

182 – Berson, IR vs. Nipper, BASH; Hernandez, SS vs. Watson, DEMO; Benson, CE vs. Boutte, BUE.

195 – Faraoni, MU vs. Tilley, MAR.

220 – Willis, BASH vs. Duarte, TUC; Deatherage, SS vs. Mommer, CIBO.

285 – Valles, REMO vs. Alderson, IR; Downing, MAR vs. Saldivar, TUC.

DIVISION II STATE TOURNAMENT

First-round matchups with Southern Arizona wrestlers

106 – Rose, SAH vs. Martinez, SKY; Gomez, CAVE vs. Ortiz, MV.

113 – Lake, CAVE vs. Cota, MV; Tellez, CIEn vs. Schultz, PEOR; Valencia, SAH vs. Arellano, KOFA.

120 – Rodriguez, MCCL vs. Henkel, MV; Schall, QUCR vs. Johnson, CIEN; Davis, CF vs. Dunham, CAVE.

126 – Malusa, RIN vs. Castillo, MV; Wells, CIEN vs. Garcia, SECA.

132 – James, VERR vs. Richardson, CHO; Murillo, SAH vs. Buterbaugh, CF.

138 – Waltz, MV vs. Stewart, RAKE; Oropeza, KOFA vs. McKissick, CDO.

145 – Lee, MV vs. Dale, LIBE; Flanders, BAGO vs. Calaway, CIEN.

152 – Rose, DEVA vs. Orlandella, CF; Lee, MV vs. Hoogendoorn, GIRI; Bliss, CIEN vs. Deitz, LIBE.

160 – Vigh, DEED vs. Wujcik, CDO; Hall, MV vs. Mota, POBU.

170 – Hudson, LIBE vs. Hand, CF; Garcia, MV vs. Relf, MDN.

182 – Aleman, CSHA vs. Morgan, MV; Dwyer, PRES vs. Cavanaugh, CIEN; Montoya, LJC vs. King, CDO.

195 – Smith, LIBE vs. Drenkhahn, Cf; Avila, GLEN vs. Aguilar, MV; Melkumov, CIEN vs. Hawkins, MESQ.

220 – Orlando, SHMO vs. Walker, CIEN; Kauer, CAVE vs. Castillo, CHO; Torrez, POBU vs. Urena, NOG.

285 – Martinez, SAH vs. Vo, GLEN; Moreno, CIEN vs. Uasike, SKYL; Cloudt, PEOR vs. Doss, CHO.