The Gilroy High wrestling team hit the mats for the first time this season at the Chukchansi Invitational, taking fourth place at the 37-team tournament over the weekend.
Though no Mustangs were crowned champions, two placed runner up and six others made the podium.
“It was good to get the competition rust off,” Varela said, adding that his grapplers also wrestled up in weight.
Sophomores Paul Fox and Niko Villarreal took second at 132 and 145-pounds, respectively. Heavyweight Jose Lara placed third, Leif Dominguez (120) fourth, Victor Olmos (132) fourth, Lupe Jimenez (152) fifth, Daniel Barboza (138) sixth, and Jesse Vasquez (113) seventh for the Mustangs, who were without seniors Willie Fox and Aaron Gonzalez.
Gilroy, which is ranked No. 1 in the Central Coast Section in the latest preseason poll released by ccsrank.com, will have five wrestlers – Paul Fox, Willie Fox, Villarreal, Lara and Olmos – entered into the prestigious Reno Tournament of Champions this weekend. First up though is a Tri-County Athletic League dual meet with eighth-ranked Alisal in Salinas on Wednesday.
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Top 10 at Chukchansi:
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1. Â Madera – 197Â
2. Â Clovis East – 156.5Â
3. Â Madera South – 150Â
4. Â Gilroy – 147.5Â
5. Â Bakersfield – 144Â
6. Â Atwater – 103.5
7. Â Sanger High School – 100
8. Â Firebaugh High – 87Â
9. Â Kerman – 82.5Â
10. Central – 78Â
