For the past three years, Gilroy has been the bridesmaid of the
Mid Cal wrestling championships.
Gilroy – For the past three years, Gilroy has been the bridesmaid of the Mid Cal wrestling championships.
After Friday, however, Gilroy started to try on the veil.
Nine mustangs went undefeated in the first day of the 51-team, double-elimination tournament, guaranteeing placement. Meanwhile, three other Gilroy wrestlers could also place if they make their way through the consolation bracket today. The Mustangs scored 166 team points to take the lead over Palo Cedro’s Foothill (121 points) and Bakersfield’s Centennial (110 points) going into championship Saturday.
“I don’t think we’ve placed more than seven before,” said Gilroy head coach Armando Gonzalez. “Everyone did a great job and is wrestling very well
“To have nine guys place already is big for us. Anything more than that is going to be icing on the cake.”
Going 3-0 on the day were Martin Gonzalez (103 pounds), Nico Naranjo (112), Rudy Maldonado (125), Tim Ibañez (119), Adin Dueñas (135), Chris Krough (130), Armando Gonzalez (140), Hunter Collins (171) and Andres Barragan (189).
Austin Gubrud (4-1 at 152 pounds), Daniel Gamez (2-1 at 215 pounds) and Luis Chavez (2-1 at heavyweight) also advanced.
Though the day went smoothly for the Mustangs, there was some drama in the evening. In an unexpected twist of events, the possibility of winning an individual title became much easier for Collins. While the second-seeded sophomore wrestled Brian Souza of Los Banos in his final match of the night, No. 1 seed and defending state champ Louis Bland of Central Catholic was disqualified on the mat next door for illegally body slamming his opponent. A Bland/Collins final was the most anticipated matchup of the tournament. Now, it is unlikely the two will meet. The highest Bland can finish is third.
“The only way they’ll meet is if Hunter loses and Hunter doesn’t plan on losing,” Gonzalez said. “Everyone wanted to see that marquee matchup.”
Perhaps no one wanted it more than Collins, who lost to Bland by one point in the finals at Five Counties earlier this month.
“He was very disappointed,” Gonzalez said. “He was in tears.”
One wrestler that picked up just where he left off before he got injured at the Reno TOC in late December was senior Armando Gonzalez, back for his first major tournament since then. He pinned two of his opponents.
“With each match he’s getting faster and his timing is getting better,” father and coach Armando Gonzalez said. “He’s so excited and he wrestled very, very good today.”
The first session kicks off today at 9am. The second session begins at 3pm, followed by the finals at 5pm.
