GILROY—Losing six seniors can be a huge blow to a team—but not if the team happens to be the Gilroy wrestling squad.
Though the Mustangs lost California Interscholastic Federation champions Nikko Villarreal and Paul Fox to graduation—who were just two out of a stellar senior class—they have gained a slew of talented freshman and have a strong core of returners. The team is expected to do big things again this year and is ranked No. 3 in the state heading into the season.
The Mustangs have four wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the Central Coast Section—senior twins Matt (170) and Mark (182) Penyascek, junior Noe Garcia (195) and senior Jesse Vasquez (126). The Penyasceks are both ranked No.4 in the state and took home CCS titles last season. Matt also reached the podium at state and finished fifth. Vasquez was a runner-up at CCS and went 2-2 at state. He’s ranked No. 10 in the Golden State, while Garcia is No. 15.
Also returning is junior Gavin Melendez, who finished second at CCS last season. He is making the jump from 106 pounds to 120 and is ranked No. 29 heading into the season.
Sophomore Mark Garcia turned heads in his freshman campaign, finishing fourth in the CCS. The 220-pounder is ranked No. 2 in the section and 38th in the state. Junior Javin Aragon also finished fourth at CCS last season, earning him a No.2 ranking in the CCS. He’s also ranked No. 22 in the state.
But it’s not just the returners that make the Mustangs dangerous. Gilroy features a standout freshman class that already has opponents taking notice.
Among them is the 106-pound Nicholas Aguilar, who accomplished a feat no Gilroy wrestler had before by winning not one, but two titles in Greco and Freestyle wrestling at the Asics/Vaughan Cadet Nationals tournament in July in Fargo, N.D. Though he has yet to wrestle at the prep level, he’s ranked No. 3 in the Central Coast Section and No. 36 in the state.
And he’s not alone.
Alexander Felix, a 132-pound freshman, went 5-2 in both the Greco and Freestyle tournaments at Nationals and is ranked No. 2 in the CCS, No. 12 in the state heading into the season. Juan Villarreal, a freshman wrestling at 152, is also No. 2 in the section and is ranked 40th in the state. Villarreal took third at the National High School Coaches Association Freshman Tournament in March in Virginia.
Another freshman, 113-pounder Joseph Delgado is ranked No. 3 in the CCS and Antonio Andrade, the freshman heavyweight, is ranked No. 8. Andrade took first place at the 2013 Nationals in Greco and Freestyle wrestling in the kids division.
All the pieces are in place for Gilroy to have another state-bound season. The long road to the CIF tournament kicked off Wednesday at the Monterey Bay League Novice Tournament at Watsonville, though results weren’t available by presstime. The Mustangs will be back in action Dec. 13-14 at the Clovis West Shoot Out.
