After witnessing my first CIF State Championships for wrestling,
I now have a greater understanding of what Gilroy coach Armando
Gonzalez means when he says a coach and wrestler are exposed
together on the mat.
After witnessing my first CIF State Championships for wrestling, I now have a greater understanding of what Gilroy coach Armando Gonzalez means when he says a coach and wrestler are exposed together on the mat.
I had seen Gilroy wrestlers lose matches before (not often, but on occasion), but nothing came close to the intensity of what I saw taking place at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield this past weekend.
People from across the state flocked in masses to see kids they knew, and some they had never seen before, lay a year’s worth of work on the line in a two-day event. If a state title was the goal for an individual, a loss was like a death in the family. Hulkish 17-and 18-year-olds could be seen crying as they ran away from the mats in defeat, making some in attendance feel bad for those who lost while others crowed in delight at the apparent anguish.
Gilroy High’s Martin Gonzalez and Hunter Collins, best friends since a young age, both put together the best string of matches in their respective careers, adding a second and third state champion to Gilroy’s resume. Meanwhile, sophomore Jesse Delgado had to settle for third after a lackluster semifinal match sent him to the consolation round.
As I interviewed Delgado after the match, I could tell he didn’t want to talk about it but he answered every question I had. I wanted to give him a hug afterwards.
He was able to shake off the loss to take third for the second time in his high school career, but I could tell he still wasn’t satisfied after talking to him again.
Again, I felt bad for him. He couldn’t smile about coming in third. I figured he wouldn’t be able to smile again until his hand is raised next year at state as a champion.
But then I saw something that reminded me of the bond between wrestlers.
After Martin Gonzalez had won his title, I was waiting for him to be done with an interview and low and behold, standing with the biggest smile on his face, bigger than father and coach Armando Gonzalez’ smile, was Delgado, waiting to congratulate his friend.
Standing on the other side of the room was Martin’s brother, Armando Jr., held back by security because he didn’t have the proper press pass. As Martin, hobbled by injury, walked over to meet his sibling, his face turned red and the two embraced in a bear hug.
I haven’t seen everything that this family, real as well as formed by school colors, has gone through this season. But I got a greater glimpse of it Saturday. Some wrestlers won, others lost.
But they stuck together, putting emotions about individual results aside in the end. A wrestling family is always exposed, but in the end they always have each other to turn to.
