Bobby Gonzalo coached wrestling for over 35 years at Peoria High School.  His Panthers built a 178-38-2 record during Gonzalo's tenure.  Coach Gonzalo led his boys following the wise old adage, "don't curse the darkness, light the candle."  The 1998 Peoria Panthers won a whopping 465 matches, scored the 7th highest point total at a state meet (231), and had the 6th highest pin total in Arizona history with 247.  One of Gonzalo's wrestlers, Sammy Chagolla, won 100 straight matches from 1980-83.

Nick Karantinos was the head wrestling coach at Mesa Red Mountain High School in the 1990's and 2000's.  His Mountain Lions won the Arizona State 5A Team Title in 1994.  His teams won 5 other region championships during his tenure.  Coach Karantinos dual meet record was an amazing 442-88-1.  Nick served as the USA-Arizona National Team Wrestling coach from 1990 to 2004.  He was the president of the Arizona Wrestling Coaches Association from 1992 to 1998.  Individually Karantinos was an outstanding college wrestler at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  He was the region champio

Coach Ben Arredondo's Mesa Jackrabbits beat Sunnyside High School for the 5A State Wrestling Championship in 1977.  That was the first year the AIA held a bracketed state meet.

Dave Vibber coached the Corona Del Sol Aztecs to State Championships in 3 different sports over a 30 year career.  Although he is best known as the head wrestling coach, Vibber won State Titles in 1980 in football and 1982 in track and field.  Vibber's teams won 403 dual meets, 6 Central Division crowns, and the 2009 5A State Title.  Vibber left Corona in 2009 to be the athletic director at Madison Meadows Middle School.

Dennis Pirch was a long time symbol of excellence in the 3A level wrestling programs of Arizona.  Coach Pirch was the head wrestling coach at Payson high school from the early 1980's to the early 2000's.  During that span Coach Pirch's Longhorns were the Arizona 3A State Wrestling Champions 7 times (1993, 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 2000).  The 5 years of back-to-back titles was a remarkable period of dominance by Payson teams.   Payson was also the State Runners-Up 4 times during that period.   Coach Dennis Pirch leads all Arizona prep wrestling coaches with 10 lifetime State Team Titles.

Coach Don Kloestreich was the head wrestling coach at Tucson Sunnyside High School back the late 1970's and 1980's.  Coach K's Blue Devils were the symbol of dominance, dynasty, and consistency during that span.  His boys won their first 5A wrestling title in 1979.  After a runner-up finish in 1980, the Blue Devils reeled off 8 consecutive State Champions from 1981 through 1988--and then another runner-up in 1989.  Sunnyside has continued the legacy Coach K had built down through the years.  Kloestreich has 9 total State Championships bearing his name--second only to Dennis Pirch's 10.  Coa

Bob Crosswhite was one of Arizona's winningest high school wrestling coaches during his career.  Coach Crosswhite led the Winslow Bulldogs and Joseph City Wildcats to 8 State Championships.  The Bulldogs were first in 1981, 82, 85, 86, 87, and 1988.  During that span Crosswhite's teams were also second in 1983 and had two thirds at the state meet in 1989 and '90.  The Wildcats were back to back State Champions in 1997 and '98.  Coach Crosswhite was a very common name on the mats of every high school in northeastern Arizona.

Santa Cruz Valley High School in Eloy, AZ and Coach Denton go hand in hand.  Anyone who has lived in Eloy from 1969-2005 knows of his coaching accomplishments.  Jay grew up in Wyoming and graduated from Eastern Montana College.  He started the wrestling program at Santa Cruz High School in 1969 and finished his coaching career at Santa Cruz in 2005.  He took a ten year hiatus (1978-1988) from teaching and coaching to work in the business sector.  In Jay's 24 years at Eloy he coached 3 State Championship Wrestling teams, 2 State Runners-Up, 9 Regional Championships, 45 individual state champ

Glenn Alford was the Tempe Buffalos head wrestling coach for 10 years and an assistant an additional 23.  Coach Alford's boy's won the 1980 5A State Title over Tucson Sunnyside by 36.5 points.  Tempe Union was also the State Runner-Up in 1978.  Alford's Buffalos won another State Title and two Runners-Up.  His dual meet record during his head coaching tenure was 99-8-1.  Coach had 14 individual state champions from 1972-1982.  Coach Alford passed away in March of 2023.

Todd Ford coached wrestling in Arizona from 1985 to 2006.  Coach Ford worked at Maricopa, Tempe, Mountain Pointe, and Desert Vista.  Coach Ford compiled a 65% winning percentage which included 217 career dual match victories.  His boys were the 2002 State Runner-Up.   Coach Ford has been chosen the Region 8 Coach of the Year on two separate occasions and been an All-Star Wrestling Coach twice.  Coach Ford is a past president of the Arizona Coaches Wrestling Association.  Coach served on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Coaches Association for 4 years.