GILROY – Sure both teams came into the dual meet undefeated at
5-0. One team a perennial powerhouse and the other having a
breakout year.
There is definitely a rivalry, but as the South Valley and
Brownell Middle School wrestling squads came together in a huddled
mass at the center of the mat after their meet Tuesday, the loud
break of
”
Gilroy
”
characterized the community feeling surrounding the two
wrestling programs that strive to pass on the sport through the
generations.
GILROY – Sure both teams came into the dual meet undefeated at 5-0. One team a perennial powerhouse and the other having a breakout year.
There is definitely a rivalry, but as the South Valley and Brownell Middle School wrestling squads came together in a huddled mass at the center of the mat after their meet Tuesday, the loud break of “Gilroy” characterized the community feeling surrounding the two wrestling programs that strive to pass on the sport through the generations.
“It’s good to have rivalry but at the end of the day we are all from Gilroy,” said South Valley head coach Armando Garcia, who’s Tigers went on to win the dual meet 76-27 to remain unbeaten at 6-0.
Families came out in full, younger kids gathered around the mat, watching and cheering on the wrestlers, who some even in defeat, had small grins on their faces as they shook hands with the opposing coaches.
Along with Solorsano Middle School, the three school’s have been the foundation for Gilroy wrestling throughout the years, providing for some of the best coaching and preparation for kids who want to pursue wrestling.
“All these kids are going to one of the high schools,” Garcia said. “We are just developing these kids to do better things at the high school level. It’s all about Gilroy and these kids.”
Under the guidance of three new coaches, James Eliason, who said he has helped the team purchase new uniforms through a fundraiser event he organized, Andres Barragan and Travis Sakamoto, both former GHS grapplers, Brownell has posted its best-ever record this season.
“We taught them the same style we learned in high school,” Barragan said. “I think that helped.”
South Valley took the first two bouts of the meet as Anthony Lopez (85-pounds) and Emmanuel Salcedo (95-pounds) finished off their opponents with first-period pins.
Zach Loo (100-pounds) gave the Brunis’ their first points of the meet pinning Matthew Vidito in the first.
“They are all first-year wrestlers and I think they did really good,” Sakamoto said. “I think we got the most points against (South Valley) all season.”
An entertaining match at 105-pounds between the Bruins’ Jasper Jauregui and the Tiger’s Alex Felix Garcia brought roars from the crowd at a number of junctions throughout the match, which went the distance. Garcia was victorious in the end on points.
Pitted against each other in the 125-pound match was Bruin Daniel Barboza and Tiger Isaac Hernandez. The two electrified those in attendance with a fast-paced battle. Barboza took a 6-2 point-lead into the third period and was able to hold on for the win, 8-3.
South Valley’s Navi Pannu recorded the fastest pin of the meet, defeating William Lugo in 34 seconds in the heavyweight bout.
Matt Penyacsek, Nikko Villarreal and Lupe Jimenez also picked up points for the Tigers, while Marcus Delgado secured a win for the Bruins.
Both schools expect to be represented by multiple participants in the section meet which will be held at South Valley on Tuesday.
Wrestlers who qualify will then go on to the county meet which South Valley will also host next Saturday.
