Mustang matmen win league championship, eye section crown.
HOLLISTER – 12 finalists.
Plus, 10 champions.
Plus, two runner-ups and one third-placer.
Add it all up and you’ve got the first-ever Tri-County Athletic League Champions – the Gilroy High wrestling team.
“This is the best we’ve done since I’ve been here,” head coach Armondo Gonzalez said. “I’m very, very proud of the boys. 10 champions, two runner-ups and one third place so our full team is going on to CCS. We’re right on track. We’re going to win our first T-CAL title.”
Like they have done all season long, the Mustang matmen dominated their T-CAL opponents in Saturday’s league finals at San Benito High in Hollister – amassing a 181.5 team points ahead of second-place Hollister with 135 points and third-place Palma 128.5 points.
“Our league is coming together,” Gonzalez said. “We’re wrestling very tough and I’m really happy to see that because we’ll go to CCS and our T-CAL will do well.”
The garlic grapplers were considered a lock for the league title since they are the section’s top-ranked unit – but the T-CAL tournament meant a lot towards their CCS run.
“We just helped ourselves quite a bit for CCS. Gilbert Gutierrez winning that match helps him huge for CCS seeding and Danny San Juan, too,” said Gonzalez, following his 12th and final championship match. “It’s possible we could have six state qualifiers and maybe more. We can have as many as nine CCS placers on this team and the way our second tier wrestlers are wrestling – they’re doing what they have to do to secure those points for us to secure a title.”
Gutierrez’s stunning 6-3 victory over Hollister’s Octavio Lucatero was one of many memorable Mustang moments on Saturday. The senior 135-pound league champ – who lost 4-2 to Lucatero in Gilroy’s 54-7 dual meet win over the defending champion Haybalers – was primed for the rematch.
“Mental, all mental,” said Gutierrez, immediately after his championship win over Lucatero. “Last time, I didn’t know what to expect. This time, I knew exactly what he was going to do.”
Gutierrez built a 3-0 lead heading into the third period with a first-period takedown right by the sideline and a second-period escape. But Lucatero scored his first points with a two-point reversal from the bottom position in the third. Following a Gutierrez one-point escape, the two tangled until they were out-of-bounds. On the restart, Gutierrez once again got the crucial takedown for a 6-2 lead. Lucatero registered an escape, but could not take Gutierrez back down.
Gutierrez said it was his older brother – Tommy Gutierrez – who inspired him for the Lucatero rematch. Tommy Gutierrez, a former GHS grappler, is now a United State Marine and before the league finals was called to duty in Kuwait.
“He said he lost in the league finals his senior year and he still remembers how much that hurt. He said go out and give it everything you’ve got,” said Gutierrez, who spoke with is brother before he shipped off. “Me and my brother are really close… I hope everyone can say a prayer for him.”
San Juan – who won a league title as a junior on the Oak Grove squad – was up against Salinas’ stud Marcus Pettis in the 125-pound championship match.
“I didn’t want to wrestle him on his feet. He’s a real good wrestler on his feet. He’s real quick,” said San Juan, who defeated Pettis earlier this season, 1-0. “I’ve been wrestling him since eighth grade.”
The senior transfer eventually worked a pivotal takedown in the first period and then built a 3-0 edge with a second-period escape. But Pettis’ third-period takedown cut the gap to 3-2. With only 15 seconds left though, Pettis only had enough time to give San Juan an escape and not enough to work a match-tying takedown. It meant San Juan’s second straight league title.
“The most important thing here (at T-CALs) is Gilbert Gutierrez beat Octavio Lucatero, ranked high in the section, and Danny San Juan beat Marcus Pettis, the defending CCS champ, to solidify his position, too,” said Gonzalez, looking ahead to the section meet Friday and Saturday at Independence High in San Jose.
Senior 145-pounder Andrew Rauss defeated Live Oak’s Matt Henderson in a tight 3-1 decision for his first league weight class crown.
“It’s a nice way to go out. This is my first time winning it so I’m pretty excited,” Rauss said. “I did feel a little pressure. I was out sick Monday and Tuesday. I knew I had to just come in and do my best. It wasn’t pretty, but I won.”
Two freshmen – 112-pounder Adin Duenas and 119-pounder Armondo Gonzalez – added to the storybook title run as both won out their weight divisions in their first varsity seasons.
Duenas made quick work of North Salinas’ Justin Prader – putting him flat on his back in less than a minute in the finals.
“This time I was ready for him,” said Duenas, who beat Prader 11-3 in their league clash. “I don’t want to sound cocky or anything but I just go in knowing I can win. I just do it and don’t talk… Hopefully, CCS I can go in and place.”
Gonzalez had to play the waiting game for his championship bout. Gonzalez’s 119-pound match against Haybaler Jamie Driskill was delayed because Driskill’s semifinal bout ended late. But Gonzalez walked the gym warming up several times only to have his match continually pushed back.
“It does (affect me) a lot because I like to wrestle early. Since I am one of the lightweights, I’m used to wrestling early,” Gonzalez said. “My first match was first thing in the morning and I’m usually one of the first ones done.”
Gonzalez was then told his match was going to be the last one – but Coach Gonzalez made sure it followed the 171-pound finals.
No matter. Gonzalez whipped up on Driskill anyway – dominating him, 15-1.
“It’s pretty good,” said Gonzalez of his first league title. “I got my hopes set on next week. I (also) want to place high in state, top eight at least.”
Junior 103-pound champ John Gurich started the finals off with an impressive 13-0 victory over Hollister’s Jon Verissimo, but his sights are set a lot higher as well.
“Our league was pretty weak since we divided it up. It feels good to win of course,” Gurich said. “CCS, it’s more matches, more teams, more wrestlers. It’s the best competition in the section. I’ve got to go out and wrestle hard in every match.”
In the 130-pound finals, junior Chad Haygood fought off a early-morning stomach virus and then dismantled Hollister’s Matt Sunseri by a 9-3 margin. Haygood, however, got cradled up in the second period by Sunseri before pulling away in the third period.
“I just felt sluggish and out of breathe. He surprised me. I just didn’t wrestle very good,” said Haygood, who threw up during weigh-ins. “It’s hard work (to get this far). Our coaches stepped up our practices. They are getting us ready for CCS. Now, we’re one step closer.”
Junior 140-pound champion Callan Romesberg, back from a shoulder injury, topped Hollister’s Alex Diaz for his first league title. Romesberg, like most of his teammates, was already looking towards CCS.
“I can’t say this really completed my comeback. I’m getting harder to satisfy. I’ve changed my standard for myself. I don’t believe in being satisfied,” Romesberg said. “I’m working extra hard for (CCS). I want to get myself where I want to be. I’m still not satisfied.”
Junior 171-pound league champ Mark Zabala held true to form – winning a 7-4 decision in his championship bout.
“I didn’t expect it to be that tight, but he worked hard,” said Zabala, who lost in overtime of the league finals last year. “There’s about four guys (in CCS) who are about equal in my weight class. I just have to step up.”
In the 215-pound division, junior Jose Albarron won the final championship for Gilroy with a thrilling third-period pin of Hollister’s Shawn Donnelly.
“I just wanted to get payback. I waited all season for this,” Albarron said. “It means so much.”
Junior 152-pounder Miguel Maldonado and senior 189-pounder Ryan Reynaud both reached the finals, finished second in the league, and are headed to the CCS meet.
“I’m happy,” said Reynaud, a first-year varsity wrestler at Gilroy High following his championship loss. “This really gets me set for football next year. I’m proud our team is league champs. Our hard work has paid off. I’m looking forward to CCS.”
Maldonado added: “It’s better than last year. I took fifth last year. I’m still a little rusty… I’m going to get pumped up for CCS.”
Senior 160-pounder Martin Serrano was upset in the semifinals – but he fought back for third place with a convincing 18-2 consolation win.
“They’re a close-knit group of boys. They really are. They play together. They’re together at practice, off practice, and at school. They’re a group that is really tight-knit and they really do pull together and push each other hard,” said Coach Gonzalez. “It’s been a great season. We’ve had no problems. We’ve had no bad incidents with the kids. It’s just been a storybook season for us.”
The final chapter will be written this weekend at the CCS Finals with an added bonus in the state meet.
