Mustang matmen win second straight league title; CCS starts this
weekend
SALINAS – Freshman Rudy Maldonado has been the Mustang matmen’s ace-in-the-hole all season long, coming into the varsity line-up when needed and wrestling with the junior varsity squad otherwise.
The night before Saturday’s Tri-County Athletic League Finals, Maldonado was called upon again. With sophomore 119-pounder Adin Duenas not able to make weight and moving up to 130s, Maldonado was given a surprise shot to compete for a spot in this weekend’s Central Coast Section Championships.
First, Maldonado beat teammate Randy Higashi in a challenge match for the vacated 119-pound division on varsity.
Then, the first-year varsity grappler helped the Gilroy High wrestling team secure its second straight league title with a 259-241 edge over runner-up Hollister in the team standings.
“This is fun, but I wanted to go to CCS. That’s all that matters,” said Maldonado, who took second place in league, only losing in overtime of his championship match. “I’ve always wanted to (go to CCS) and for CCS I’ll be more prepared because I was only 116, 115 pounds here. By CCS, I’ll be up. I’ll make sure of that.”
Maldonado was cutting weight for his 112-pound spot in the junior varsity line-up before earning a varsity slot at 119s by winning his challenge match. Now, he is one of 14 Mustangs moving on to the section finals at Independence High School.
“So there’s two good things, CCS and eating,” said Maldonado, who wants to bulk up for the weekend.
On the flip side of the last-minute change, junior Joseph Serrano, expected to wrestle at 130s for varsity, was forced to give up his spot to Duenas and compete in the JV League Finals, where he won his weight class by going undefeated.
The now two-time reigning league champions dominated the mats at Salinas High with seven weight class champs, three runners-up, one third, and three fourth-place finishers.
“It was definitely tougher this year than last year. It’s always tougher to repeat,” said head coach Armando Gonzalez, who endured the near eight-hour league finals on Valentine’s Day. “For me that was the best gift. That’s just how it goes sometimes. It did go a lot longer than we hoped.”
The semifinal round began at around noon and the finals did not begin until more than four hours later until the consolation matches for third through sixth place were completed.
“We’ve been waiting around all day. In between the last match, I got real tired,” said senior Chad Haygood, who won the 135-pound league title. “This wasn’t really much. We’re all concentrated for next weekend, but this is good for me because I didn’t have that much mat-time so the more I get, the better I get, the more comfortable I feel.”
Although three short of last year’s 10 weight class league titles, the Mustang matmen had another superior performance with individual championships also going to: freshman 103-pounder Nicolo Naranjo; senior 112-pounder John Gurich; sophomore 125-pounder Armando Gonzalez; junior 145-pounder Callan Romesberg; senior 171-pounder Mark Zabala; and senior 215-pounder Jose Albarron.
“It was a two-team match. We went at it pretty good with San Benito High and we had some help from some other schools,” Coach Gonzalez said. “We’re on our way. We’re working our way toward our goal. It’s going to be a lot tighter at CCS than last year.”
No. 1 ranked Gilroy is expected to be in a dogfight for its second straight section championship with Fremont, San Benito, and Los Gatos. But the Mustangs are bringing 14 guys, including senior 160-pounder Miguel Maldonado (second in league); Duenas (second at 130s in league); freshman 140-pounder Austin Gabrud (third in league); junior 160-pounder Joseph Delgado (fourth in league); senior 189-pounder Erik Lara (third in league); and sophomore heavyweight Daniel Gamez (fourth in league).
“Last year, we had five finalists and one sixth place. … so this year we’re going to need a lot of back points from Jose, Adin, Rudy, and Erik,” Gonzalez said. “We should be able to be in contention. Nothing is guaranteed.”
The top five in each weight class qualified for CCS, while only the top three in each division advance to the CIF State Finals on March 5-6 at Centennial Gardens in Bakersfield.
“Like any team, they are ready to go. It’s been a long season,” Gonzalez said. It’s not going to take a lot to get these guys ready.”
