Early signs indicate this will be the best season in school
history for Gilroy wrestling.
Reno, NEV.
Early signs indicate this will be the best season in school history for Gilroy wrestling.
The Mustangs had four placers at this week’s Reno Tournament of Champions, including senior Hunter Collins who won the 189-pound weight class and earned All-American status for the fifth time. He won the tournament last season in the 171-pound division.
Sophomore Jesse Delgado took third as a 112-pounder, making him an All-American for the second time in his brief career. Seniors Martin Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers took fourth and sixth, respectively, allowing the two to medal.
“We never had more than three (placers),” GHS assistant coach Mike Koester said. “This year we had four and they were really high placers. We came away with two All-Americans and four placers – we really improved on what we did last year.”
Those four weren’t the only wrestlers to show they will be contenders for placing in the state of California this season. Travis Sakamoto and Tim Caspary also made it to the second day of the tournament, which draws some of the top wrestlers from around the nation.
“That’s pretty good when you come to a tournament and six make it to the second day,” Koester said.
As a team, Gilroy finished in 10th place according to Koetser. An impressive showing for a squad that only brought nine wrestlers total.
“We did that without Tim Ibanez and Ethan Ogle,” Koester said. “Having those guys in the lineup, we would have been a top-five team.”
Collins’ toughest match of the tournament came in the semifinals when he faced Erich Schmidke, the No. 6 ranked wrestler in the nation. The Gilroy native showed why he is the considered by many to the best in the country by taking control of the match to win 5-1 after entering the third period down 1-0.
“It was Hunter’s choice in the third period, and Hunter is really good on the bottom,” Koester said. “Hunter not only escaped, but turned and put [Schmidke] on his back.
“Hunter said this was the strongest individual he’s ever wrestled before. This guy was a man, he didn’t look like he belonged in high school.”
After winning the Reno TOC for the second year in a row and having already accepted a full scholarship to wrestle at the University of Michigan next year, it seems the same could be said for Collins.
Delgado found himself in a familiar position in the tournament, facing A. J. Valles of Selma High School in the consolation match. Winning 4-1, Delgado was able to exact a little revenge for a defeat to Valles earlier this season at the Clovis West Shootout.
Gonzalez just missed being an All-American, losing in overtime 3-1 to Thomas Williams, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in California and No. 4 in the country. Gonzalez entered the tournament as a nine-seed, and beat the No. 7, No. 4 and No. 3 seeds to take fourth.
Rogers won his first three matches of the tournament but lost the next three by very small margins.
“He finished higher than any other California kid in his weight class,” Koester said.
The team will not be competing again until after the New Year.
