As another weekend passed, the Gilroy wrestling team gave
another indication that it isn’t far from greatness.
Facing many of the best teams in the state at the Doc Buchanan
Invite in Clovis, Gilroy proved to be as deep as any squad in town,
and better than every other in a few individual weight classes. The
Mustangs had six wrestlers place by finishing in the top eight, and
four others were just one win away from medaling. As a team, Gilroy
finished in sixth place despite only taking 11 out of 14
wrestlers.
As another weekend passed, the Gilroy wrestling team gave another indication that it isn’t far from greatness.
Facing many of the best teams in the state at the Doc Buchanan Invite in Clovis, Gilroy proved to be as deep as any squad in town, and better than every other in a few individual weight classes. The Mustangs had six wrestlers place by finishing in the top eight, and four others were just one win away from medaling. As a team, Gilroy finished in sixth place despite only taking 11 out of 14 wrestlers.
The Mustangs’ top finishers were Jesse Delgado (112 pounds), Martin Gonzalez (119) and Hunter Collins (189). All three went undefeated in five matches to become individual champions, earning each of the three a cowboy hat for a trophy as is customary at this particular tournament. Collins was named the overall champion of the invite after pinning all five of his opponents.
“We did real well as a team,” Gilroy coach Armando Gonzalez said. “It was probably the toughest Doc ‘B’ since we’ve been in the tourney.”
Collecting all but one of the top-10 teams in the state, the Doc Buchanan Invite is one of the toughest meets the team will take part in before the state championships.
“This tournament, it’s no comparison to (Central Coast Sections),” coach Gonzalez said, meaning that the Mustangs have done well enough early in the schedule that they should be dominant in the area’s postseason tournament.
The coach’s son, Martin, was able to avenge a loss earlier this season at the Reno Tournament of Champions by beating Liberty Brentwood’s
David Klingsheim in the final. The two squared off Saturday, with Gonzalez taking the victory on a 5-4 decision.
“All he got on me was throws,” Gonzalez said. “I stayed out of that, got an escape and took him down twice.”
The deciding point came when Klingsheim was called for stalling.
Delgado took all five of his matches, winning his weight class at the tournament for the second-straight year, but said he was a little disappointed in the way he won.
“I guess it was pretty good, but it could’ve been better,” Delgado said. “I was kind of inconsistent in some of my matches.”
Coach Gonzalez said Delgado’s criticism of his overall performance was too harsh, and sounded like something the coach would say.
“I’m hard on him,” coach Gonzalez said. “He had some very tough competition. He’d like to blow through everybody without resistance.
“But he’s a winner, and that’s what counts.”
The tournament’s ultimate winner was Collins, who said a consistent approach in each of his matches has helped him fulfill the high expectations consistent with being the top-ranked wrestler in the nation at 189 pounds.
“That’s always been my goal, to do the best I can,” Collins said. “One thing I keep in mind is to never underestimate my opponents.”
Along with having brute strength, Collins uses a cerebral approach to take down challengers.
“One of the things I’ve realized is a lot of people rush the pin,” he said. “I try to take my time.”
Time is relative when it comes to Collins’ victories, though, as he didn’t have a single match reach four minutes.
Gilroy’s three other placers were Jesse Rogers (5th place, 215 pounds) Ethan Ogle (7th, 171) and Travis Sakamoto (8th, 145). Rogers went 4-2 over the weekend, and defeated Selma’s Miek Perez on a 1-0 decision in his final match. Ogle was 5-2, and defeated Tulare Union’s Mike Moralez on a 5-0 decision for his medal. Sakamoto went 3-3.
The Mustangs’ next meet will take place Wednesday at Palma High School when they face North Salinas and Alvarez. Matches will begin at 6:30 p.m.
COMPLETE RESULTS
(Weight, Name, Results)
112 – Jesse Delgado
Doc Buchanan (CHAMPION) 5-0
WON Fall :41, Dylan Rodriquez, (Clovis East)
WON Dec 7-3, Stephen Meridith (Buchanan)
WON Dec 10-7, Jordan Elmer (Redwood)
WON Major 9-1, Dylan Barrales (Temecula Valley)
WON Dec 3-1, Markjay Acosta (San Leandro)
119 – Martin Gonzalez
Doc Buchanan (CHAMPION) 5-0
WON Fall :32, Issac McCormack (Righetti)
WON Major 12-1, Travis Arrequin (Healdsburg)
WON Major 10-1, Alex Perez (Lemoore)
WON Dec 5-0, Diego Quintana (Selma)
WON Dec 5-4, David Klingsheim (Liberty Brentwood)
125 – Rodney Balajadia
Doc Buchanan 4-2
Lost Dec 5-2, Alec Dieter (Clovis)
WON Dec 10-3, Carlos Reyes (Roosevelt)
WON Fall 2:57, Xavier Clark (Bullard)
WON Dec 5-3, Josue Solis (Sanger)
WON Fall 1:37, Charlie Demore (De La Salle)
LOST Dec 8-1, Michael Rodriquez (Independence)
140 – Vincent Aboytes
Doc Buchanan 4-2
LOST Dec 2-1, Jaime Conteras (Firebaugh)
WON Major 14-3, Mike Dumelle (Royal)
WON Default, Adam Caldron (Porterville)
WON Major 14-4, Adam Galvin (Sanger)
WON Major 12-1, Kevin Jimeno (Edison Fresno)
LOST Dec 7-3, Nick Sierra (Lemoore)
145 – Travis Sakamoto
Doc Buchanan (8th Place) 3-3
WON Dec 3-1, Anthony Ibarra (Righetti)
WON Dec 3-2, Mark New (Foothill Bakersfield)
LOST Fall 3:16, Archie Tovar (Selma)
WON Dec 2-0, Cody Fitzgerald (Oakmont)
LOST Fall 2:26, Robert Rios (Liberty Bakersfield)
LOST Dec 4-1, Martin Fabbian (Buchanan)
152 – Tim Caspary
Doc Buchanan 3-2
WON Fall 2:48, Rico Galiacia (Bullard)
WON Dec 7-0, Cody Stewart (Exeter)
LOST Major 15-3, Bryce Hammond (Bakersfield)
WON Fall 1:00, Steven Delcruz (Sanger)
LOST Major 13-3, Brad Bullock (El Diamante)
160 – Mike Penaysck
Doc Buchanan 0-2
LOST Fall 3:24, Josh Esparza (Clovis)
LOST Fall 2:15, Nadim Batshon (El Diamante)
171 – Ethan Ogle
Doc Buchanan (7th Place) 5-2
WON Fall 5:47, John Wadkins (Exeter)
WON Fall 5:40, Alonzo Ruiz (Clovis West)
WON Dec 8-7, Nathan Poteete (Buchanan)
LOST Fall 1:31, Jake Meridith (Temecula Valley)
WON Fall 3:50 Ben Crosby (Castro Valley)
LOST Dec 4-1, John Musquez (Centennial Bakersfield)
WON Dec 5-0, Matt Moralez (Tulare Union)
189 – Hunter Collins
Doc Buchanan (CHAMPION) 5-0
WON Fall :38, Cody DeSilva (El Diamante)
WON Fall 1:06, Jesse Lopez (Madera)
WON Fall 3:53, Ryan Scarr (Ponderosa)
WON Fall 2:53, Jake Gingold (Buchanan)
WON Fall 3:13, Philip Brandt (Bullard)
215 – Jesse Rogers 12th Grade 19-5
Doc Buchanan (5th Place) 4-2
WON Dec 9-7, Jordan Felix (De La Salle)
WON Fall 5:47, Salvador Agredano (Firebaugh)
WON Dec 6-0, David Travis (Foothill Bakersfield)
LOST Dec 6-2, Rudi Burtschi (Oakdale)
LOST Dec 6-3 Dominic Demarco (Ponderosa)
WON Dec 1-0, Mike Perez (Selma)
285 – Luis Barragan
Doc Buchanan 4-2
WON Dec 5-0, Jose Zamora (Sanger)
LOST Major 19-6, Jonathan Zamora (Clovis)
WON Fall :57, Troy Johnson (Liberty Brentwood)
WON Fall 1:25, Holden Smith (Buchanan)
WON Fall 2:31, Pedro Quinterro (Centenial Bakersfield)
LOST Dec 7-3, Loren Baize (Lemoore)
