Six Mustang first-year wrestlers win weight class titles in
annual event; JV grapplers dominate at Harbor Tourney
GILROY – For freshmen Nico Naranjo and Rudy Maldonado, Wednesday’s novice wrestling tournament at Gilroy High School was just a prelude to their first varsity seasons on the mat.
In the lowest weight division, about 103 pounds, Naranjo, a three-time county champ at South Valley Jr. High, and Maldonado, a two-time county runner-up and second in state also with the Tigers, both easily made their way into the finals. Up against a field of all first-year wrestlers from the Tri-County Athletic League, the two Gilroy Hawks club wrestlers only had themselves yet to beat.
“It’s different because they know your style, you know theirs,” said Maldonado, who bowed to his teammate in the weight class championship. “Same as always. Just an opponent. At practice, he’s a teammate, but on the mat, he’s an opponent.”
Naranjo took the title along with five other Mustangs, but both freshmen prospects are expected to make major contributions to the varsity squad this season.
“It’s pretty different (facing a teammate). I just have to go out there and do my best,” said Naranjo, prior to his victory in the finals. “I really wanted to come out here and see what I could do. … It helps get you warmed up, know what you’re up against.”
Maldonado and Naranjo, who also won a weight class title in the Harbor JV Tournament last weekend, will both be in the garlic varsity line-up for the Coast Classic on Nov. 12-13 at Scotts Valley High School.
“I’ve been training for that for a long time. I always want to place at tournaments and I always want to place high. I want to have my chance to show myself, finally,” said Maldonado, who was impressed with the competition. “I’ve seen pretty good wrestlers so far for first-year wrestlers.”
The annual novice tournament gives first-year wrestlers some extra mat time against similar skilled opponents to try to work on the moves they learned in practice.
“It’s pretty fun just to get some mat time, just to get prepared,” Maldonado said. “It’s been a while, probably since freestyle state championships.”
Eleven of 12 Mustang novice wrestlers placed in Wednesday’s event at Gilroy High School. Along with Naranjo, the champions were: freshman Chris Raudes at 125 pounds; freshman Ismael Gutierrez at 133 pounds; Chris Krough at 119 pounds; freshman Chris Morin; and freshman Austin Gabrud.
Gilroy entered 23 wrestlers at the Harbor JV Tournament on Dec. 6 and 20 of them placed with 10 champions, six runner-ups, three thirds and one fourth among the 32-school field.
“Teams looking strong. We actually got some heavyweights this year. … But we might not have a 3-pounder because (Naranjo and Maldonado) are both going to be up on varsity,” JV head coach Marty Serrano said. “We’re out there working hard, getting our technique and conditioning in. When we go to tournaments, it shows our kids are working hard because the way we’ve finished.”
At Harbor High School, junior Randy Higashi won the 112-pound division, while Raudes bested the 125-pound field.
“(Raudes) is a very strong, physical guy,” Serrano said. “He’s got some technique and his strength helps him out a lot.”
Gutierrez – whose two older brothers, Tommy and Gilbert, both wrestled at Gilroy High – won the 133-pound division to go along with his novice title.
“He’s a product of a wrestling family,” Serrano said. “He’s working a lot technique and he’s awful strong.”
Junior Joseph Serrano claimed the 135-pound title at Harbor, while sophomore Mike Ayers brought home the 142-pound championship.
“(Joseph Serrano) showed a lot of technique and dominated all his matches. He had three and dominated in all of them,” Coach Serrano said. “Mike Ayers is very strong. He’s one kid that can really throw his muscle around.”
Finishing off the Gilroy list of champions were sophomore Jose Andrade at 161 pounds, sophomore Joseph Delgado at 175 pounds, and sophomore Joe Esparza at 180 pounds.
“(Andrade) is just picking up where he left off last year and he’s winning more matches,” Serrano said. “(Delgado) went up one weight class this year and he’s doing a lot better. He’s stronger and more physical.”
