GHS grapplers finish second in Coast Classic with three
champs.
SCOTTS VALLEY – Forty eight of the area’s top wrestling programs – including the Central Coast Section’s pre-season number one Gilroy High squad – went head-to-head at the Coast Classic at Scotts Valley High School.
After two days of grappling Dec. 20-21, the Mustang matmen combined for 153.50 team points to finish in second place behind only tournament champ Madera (177.50) but ahead of third-place Pleasant Valley (152.50), fourth-place Atascadero (144) and fifth-place Rocklin (138.50).
Three weight class champions came out of Gilroy as 103-pound junior John Gurich (4-0), 119-pound freshman Armando Gonzalez (5-0), and 171-pound junior Mark Zabala (4-0) all went undefeated for the tournament.
Following a first-round bye, Gurich – who did not allow a point to be scored against him until the finals – shut out Evan Winslow, of Kings Academy, for a 15-0 technical fall. Gurich then went on to shut out Garrick Hismatulin, of Mitty, 4-0, and Andrew Gonzalez, of Oak Grove, 2-0. In his championship bout, Gurich topped Bryan Williams, of Oakdale, 5-1, for the tourney title.
Gonzalez started his championship run by pinning Charles Hung, of Harker, in 4:52 and then disposed of Josh Grimes, of Bret Harte, by major decision, 15-4. The freshman phenom followed up with back-to-back 17-2 technical falls over Stephen Thalin, of Kings Academy, and Ramon Perez, of San Ramon Valley. In the finals, Gonzalez shut down Joey Webster, of Soquel, 7-0.
Zabala’s road to the 171-pound title began with a first-round bye and a default win over Jordan Housewright, of Rio Linda. Then a 14-2 major decision over Daniel Silveiro, of Half Moon Bay, and a 3-2 nod over Justin Vance, of Bella Vista, put him in the finals. Zabala was handed the title on a default by William Griffin, of Madera.
Gilroy also produced two fourth-place finishers – 125-pound senior Danny San Juan and 130-pound junior Chad Haygood – as well as one fifth-place finisher – 135-pound junior Gilbert Gutierrez.
San Juan (4-2) recorded two pinfalls – putting Gianni Rosas, of Palo Alto, on his back in 3:51 and Luis Hernandez, of Washington Union, on his back in 3:05. Along with a second-round 22-6 technical fall over Alex Proctor, of Bella Vista, San Juan reached the semifinals – where he dropped a tight 6-4 decision to Poncho Manriquez, of Ukiah. In his wrestlebacks, San Juan topped Tim Pierce, of Madera, 5-3, before falling to Mike Chen, of Mission San Jose, in the third-place bout.
Haygood (3-2) followed a first-round bye with a pinfall of Bear River’s Kyle Trumawan in 5:15 and then edged Adam Morgenthaler, of Los Gatos, 3-2. After being knocked out by eventual champ Jeff Cox, of Oakdale, Haygood wrestled back with a pinfall over Adan Marquez, of Aptos, but lost to Aaron Ford, of Rocklin, in his third-place match.
Gutierrez (5-2) came out strong with a 16-1 technical fall over Patrick Krage, of Bella Vista, and then a tight 5-4 nod over Marcus Lazaldi, of Rocklin. But Gutierrez met his match when he faced Nick Chen, of Mission San Jose, who came out on top, 10-2. In his wrestlebacks, Gutierrez rattled off pins over Dustin Homesley, of Pleasant Valley, in 2:58 and Matt Condie, of San Ramon Valley, in 2:33. Following a 4-0 loss to Matt Nudelman, of Los Gatos, Gutierrez finished the tournament with a victory over Josh Jacquier, of Bear River.
In the 112-pound weight class, freshman Adin Dueñas pinned both Danny Nguyen, of Evergreen Valley, in 1:19 and Gerald Stryker, of Soquel, in 1:37, before being shut out by eventual champ Tyler Dillashaw, of Bret Harte. In wrestlebacks, Dueñas won a tight 1-0 decision over Steven Mah, of San Ramon Valley, prior to dropping a 5-3 decision to Mike Ybarra, of Wilcox.
Senior 140-pounder Andrew Rauss received a first-round bye but faltered 6-3 to Tommy Machado, of Oak Grove, in the second round. In wrestlebacks, Rauss defeated Paul Halteh, of Terra Nova, 8-2, but took a default against Joe Omally, of San Ramon Valley.
Gilroy’s Martin Serrano, at 145 pounds, and Ryan Reynaud, at 189 pounds, both lost two matches apiece.
Up next, the Mustang matmen will travel to Reno, Nevada for the Dec. 27-28 Sierra Nevada Classic. Gilroy will play host Jan. 8 to Live Oak at 7 p.m. to open Tri-County Athletic League action.
