Gilroy High School

The simplest way to put it: Gilroy High soccer player Jonathan Diaz De Leon is a game changer. Put him at forward and he was one of the deadliest strikers in the Tri-County Athletic League.

Christopher High’s Peter Hilkene tied for third with a 42 at the season opening Tri-County Athletic League Avalley Division golf meet at Salinas Golf and Country Club on Monday.

Charles Walker garnered Tri-County Athletic League recognition in two categories, including a bid to the first-team all-league list after his senior season with the Gilroy High basketball team.

 

Jaylan Gallardo pitched 6.2 innings, Justin Nelson had three RBIs and the Gilroy High baseball team defeated Hayward 4-2 in nonleague action Saturday in Gilroy.

Gilroy High wrestling coach Greg Varela tells a story dating back six or seven years. In it, Varela, who is in his third year at the helm and 10th overall with the program, poignantly describes a handful of young wrestlers training together in a garage as he guides the way with the help of a couple other coaches.

Last week the number was 10, as in 10 straight section championships. On Saturday morning in Bakersfield, the magic number was 3. In a span of 20 minutes  three Gilroy High semifinalists became a trio of finalists and are one win away from a CIF State Wrestling championship.

Three wrestlers are two wins away from one ultimate prize. After a long, long Day 1, which began with weigh-ins at 7 a.m. and concluded with the final match of the evening after 9 p.m., Gilroy High will have three wrestlers start Day 2 in the semifinals of the California Interscholastic Federation Wrestling Championships at Raboback Arena in Bakersfield.

With about four hours left in a marathon 12-hour Day 1 at the CIF State Wrestling Championships on Friday in Bakersfield, Gilroy High’s Paul Fox (126), Nikko Villarreal and Willie Fox (145) prevailed in their Championship Round 3 matches, are all 2-0 and into the quarterfinals.

Through two championship rounds at the annual CIF State Wrestling Championships, six of the seven local wrestlers in the field won their opening matches Friday morning at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.