Never scared of a good tussle on the mats, Gilroy High wrestling
went a step further this season in making it sure it has the
toughest schedule possible on its way to state.
Hosting the annual Mid Cals tournament Friday and Saturday, the
Mustangs will be facing many of the best teams in Northern
California and a couple powerhouses from outside the area.
GILROY – Never scared of a good tussle on the mats, Gilroy High wrestling went a step further this season in making it sure it has the toughest schedule possible on its way to state.
Hosting the annual Mid Cals tournament Friday and Saturday, the Mustangs will be facing many of the best teams in Northern California and a couple powerhouses from outside the area.
Among the 67 teams in attendance, Selma, ranked third in California and three spots high than GHS, will be attending the event, as well as Turlock, St. Francis of Mountain View and Spanish Springs of Nevada. St. Francis is ranked second in the Central Coast Section just behind Gilroy.
After winning Mid Cals three straight years, though, the Mustangs are in the unusual position of being underdogs this weekend.
“This year Selma is definitely a higher ranked team than us,” Gilroy coach Armando Gonzalez said. “They have a very stacked lineup.”
Gilroy has its own forces to be reckoned with, including three No. 1 seeds in the tournament: Jesse Delgado (121 pounds), Martin Gonzalez (127) and Luis Barragan (285). Gilroy freshman Willie Fox (114) and junior Vincent Aboytes are seeded second and third, respectively.
With a younger squad than in year’s past, it will be up to Gilroy’s supporting cast to score points in hopes of winning the tournament, as it did last season with eight placers and a Mid Cals record of 301 points.
“The young guys are beginning to swim and the big guys are getting it done,” GHS assistant coach Greg Varela said.
Facing premiere competition in events such as the Doc Buchanan Invitational and Five Counties Wrestling Tournament the past two weeks should have everyone on their toes.
“It’s an eye-opener,” Varela said in regards to the Mustangs’ younger wrestlers. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I have to wrestler [at a high level] every match.”
Fox has been impressive in his brief GHS career, and it hasn’t come as a surprise to the freshman.
“I knew the coaches were great and would work me hard to be real successful,” he said.
Gilroy junior Adam Rosso, who will be competing at 140 pounds, says it will be important for everyone to be as mentally prepared as they are physically.
“Wrestling is 90 percent mental,” Rosso said. “If you don’t think you can win you have no chance.”
Despite being unseeded, Rosso is hopeful to finish in the top four.
On Wednesday, Gilroy got a bit of preparation for Mid Cals by hosting Palma, ranked fourth in CCS, in a dual.
The Mustangs went on to win 51-23. Below are full results:
Gilroy 51, Palma 23
103 pounds – Jasmine Yanez Gilroy Fall 3:27 Nick Busby
112 – Jarron Ramirez Palma Decision 7-3 Aaron Gonzalez
119 – Willie Fox Gilroy Fall 1:21 Sam Eastman
125 – Jesse Delgado Gilroy Forfeit
130 – Martin Gonzalez Gilroy Fall :38 K.C. Silacci
135 – Rodney Balajadia Gilroy Forfeit
140 – Adam Rosso Gilroy Fall 3:22 Eddie Farfan
145 – Ryan Sarmiento Palma Decision 15-0 Felix Gonzalez
152 – Vincent Aboytes Gilroy Decision 5-3 Joe Basco
160 – Benjamin Torricier Gilroy Fall 5:49 Mike Sarmiento
171 – Devan Santos Palma Forfeit
189 – Zach Jimenez Palma Forfeit
215 – Hunter Baird Palma Decision 5-0 Fabian Loredo
285 – Luis Barragan Gilroy Fall 5:09 Evan Swanson
