Mt. SAC and Fresno City Win Regional Dual Championships

October 19, 2014

Photo by John Sachs

2014 North Duals - Hosted by Santa Rosa Junior College

Final Team Placement:

1: Fresno City College

2: Sacramento City College

3: Chabot College

4: Sierra College

5: Skyline College

6: Santa Rosa Jr. College

7: Lassen College

8: San Joaquin Delta College

9: Shasta College

#1 Fresno City vs. #2 Sac City, 30-6:

125-Arnulfo Olea (FCC) def. Juan Garza (SCC), Olea by Fall 133-Vicente Hernandez (FCC) def. Albert Landeros (SCC), Dec 8-2 141-Jonas Gaytan (FCC) def. Matt Bettencourt (SCC), Dec 10-4 149-Ivan Govea (FCC) def. Brian Sergi (SCC), Dec 6-2 157-Adrian Gomez (FCC) def. Isiah Smith (SCC), Gomez by Fall 165-Austin Martinez (FCC) def. Adam Busch (SCC), Dec 7-3 174-Mo Naser (FCC) def. Kalan Hasty (SCC), Dec 11-5 184-Will Gockel-Figge (FCC) def. Amrit Singh (SCC), Dec 3-2 197-Mark Papish (SCC) def. Dominic Freesha (FCC), Dec 3-10 285-Jacob Richards (SCC) def. Andrew Singer (FCC), Dec 1-3

Southern CA Dual Championship - Hosted By Cerritos College

CHAMPIONSHIPS

#2 Mt. San Antonio def. #1 Cerritos, 23-21

THIRD PLACE

#3 Palomar def. #4 Cuesta, 24-21

SEMIFINALS

#1 Cerritos def. #4 Cuesta, 28-12

#2 Mt. San Antonio def. #3 Palomar, 27-12

QUARTERFINALS

#4 Cuesta def. #5 Santa Ana, 28-8

#1 Cerritos def. #8 West Hills, 55-0

#2 Mt. San Antonio def. #7 East Los Angeles, 42-6

#3 Palomar def. #6 Rio Hondo, 38-19

CONSOLATION ROUND

#4 Cuesta def. #7 East Los Angeles, 30-18

#4 Palomar def. #5 Santa Ana, 22-18

#7 East Los Angeles def. #6 Rio Hondo, 39-10

#5 Santa Ana def. #8 West Hills, 30-9

#5 Santa Ana def. #10 Extras, 30-9

#6 Rio Hondo def. #9 Bakersfield, 34-13

#9 Bakersfield def. #10 Extras, 33-13

QUALIFYING ROUND

#8 West Hills def. #9 Bakersfield, 30-29

#7 East Los Angeles def. #10 Extras, 24-24 (won on criteria)

(Wrestlers from other teams because there was no Victor Valley team)

by Pablo Di Maria

Norwalk, California –Seeded No. 2 in the 10-man bracket in the South Regional Duals, Coach David Rivera was optimistic about the chances of his team making the finals and winning the tournament.

"We have to believe in ourselves and wrestle our best to win this event and advance to the state dual-meet next month." Said Rivera "We (Coaches Caleb Flores and Robert Dominguez) have done everything that it's in our hands to help our athletes achieve their goals. Now it's up to them to lead us to the promise land."

The Mountaineers didn't lead their coaches down as they defeated the No.1 team in the state Cerritos College 23-21. During the tournament Mt. Sac defeated East Los Angeles College, the No. 12 ranked team in the state 42-6 in the quarterfinals. Then in the semifinals they defeated No. 7 ranked Palomar College 27-12 to make the finals.

No. 1 seed Cerritos College manhandle West Hills College 55-0 in the first round, and then the No. 4 ranked team Cuesta College 28-12 to advance to the finals.

The finals were full of excitement as most matches had ranked wrestlers wrestling versus each other. The dual-meet started at 125 pounds where No. 5 ranked Giovanni Castillo (Corona/Centennial H.S.) defeated the No. 3 ranked wrestler Gary Howe (Los Alamitos H.S.) 7-2. Castillo scored two takedowns to help the Mountaineers take a 3-0 lead after the 125 pound weight class.

The No. 1 ranked wrestler at 133 pounds, Dustin Kirk (Elsinore H.S.) of Cerritos, had four takedowns in his match as he defeated Jeremy Dizon (West Covina H.S) 7-3. All of Dizon's points came via three escapes in the match. The dual-meet was tied 3-3 after two matches.

Terrill Sidener (Beaumont H.S.) showed everyone in attendance why he is the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the state at 141 pounds by pinning 2013 state place winner, Eric Ambriz (Temescal Canyon H.S.), in 3:24 of their match. The match was 0-0 going into the second round when Ambriz chose neutral to start the period. Right of the whistle Sidener took Ambriz down to his back to get the fall and give Mt. Sac a 9-3 led over Cerritos College.

Ranked No. 5 in the state, Lorenzo "Boy" Medina (Northview H.S.) showed everyone in attendance why he should be considered a strong candidate to win a state title in December. With great mat awareness and riding skills, he defeated Jonathan Tanap (Carson H.S.) 16-1 in the first period to give Mt. Sac a 14-3 led after four matches.

Before the start of the 157 pound bout, Coach Donnie Garriot approach Keanu Tom (Los Alamitos H.S.) and reminded him how huge a fall could be for the team in the match. Tom got the message loud and clear and pinned Jaime Jimenez (Ontario H.S.) in 2:32 of their match. The Cerrito bench went wild as they knew they were back in the game. After five matches Mt. Sac was up 14-9.

Trying to get the upper hand in the dual-meet, Coach Garriott asked the No. 1 ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, A.J. McKee, to move to 165 pounds and try to get the win. McKee did just what Coach Garriott asked of him and won the match 8-2 over the No. 4 ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, Zachary Mitchell (Temecula Valley H.S.). Mt. Sac still led the dual-meet 14-12 after the 165 pound weight class.

In the 174 pound weight class, No. 5 ranked Dylan Clarke (Burnt Hills, N.Y.) met the No. 7 ranked wrestler Kolton Martin (Eureka H.S.) in a tossup match that both coaches knew was winnable for either wrestler. The match was 4-3 advantage Clarke after two periods. In the third period, Clarke chose down after it was choice. He didn't waste a second of the opportunity and got the escape right of the whistle to go up 5-3. In the final seconds of the match, Clarke got the takedown to secure the match and give Cerritos the led for the first time 15-14.

Another tossup match happened at 184 pounds between the No. 3 ranked wrestler Max Kushimiro (Los Alamitos H.S.) and the No. 4 ranked wrestler Nathan Rodriguez (Diamond Bar H.S.). Kushimiro looked great through the first two periods leading the match 8-3 going into the third period. But in the third period, Martinez got a boost of energy and turned the match around by getting two takedowns and the fall in 6:14 of their match when he hooked a cradle and took Kushimiro to his back. After the 184 pound match, Mt. Sac took the led 20-15 with two matches left in the match.

The 197 pound match was overwhelming for both teams. A win by the Cerritos wrestler would still keep them alive, a lost and the dual-meet was over. Mt. Sac send in the No. 2 ranked wrestler into the match in KeAndre Johnson (Diamond Bar H.S.). While Cerritos College send 2013 state place winner, Jeremiah Gerl (Calvary Chapel Downey H.S.), to try and keep the dual-meet alive. Johnson wrestled smart and got the 3-2 win to seal the dual-meet and helped the Mountaineers win the South Regional Duals.

Robert Chism (Downey H.S.) received a forfeit after Mt. Sac knew they had already won the dual-meet.

In the third place bout, Palomar College defeated Cuesta College 24-21 to take home a trophy back to San Diego County.

The final score was 23-21. Next up for both teams is a dual-meet between each other on Wednesday October 22 at 7 PM at Cerritos College.

Championship Match

125-Giovanni Castillo Mt. Sac Defeated Gary Howe of Cerritos 7-2

133-Dustin Kirk of Cerritos Defeated Jeremy Dizon of Mt. Sac 7-3

141-Terrill Sidener of Mt. Sac Pinned Eric Ambriz of Cerritos 3:24

149-Lorenzo "Boy" Medina Tech Pinned Jonathan Tanap of Cerritos 16-1

157-Keanu Tom of Cerritos Pinned Jaime Jimenez of Mt. Sac 2:32

165-A.J. McKee of Cerritos Defeated Zachary Mitchell of Mt. Sac 8-2

174-Dylan Clarke of Cerritos Defeated Kolton Martin of Mt. Sac 7-4

184-Nathan Rodriguez of Mt. Sac Pinned Max Kumashiro of Cerritos 6:14