The postseason began for high school wrestlers as they traveled to the Central California Conference Championships in Los Banos last week. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to this week’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championships at Vista Del Lago in Folsom.

 

The Golden Valley High boys and girls wrestling teams both performed well, as they swept the CCC championships with the top team totals to earn shares of the CCC championship. The boys won the conference championship for the second consecutive season and sixth time in the last seven years. The Golden Valley boys pushed 12 wrestlers, including four individual champions on to next week’s divisionals and finished with 221 team points. The tournament victory earns a share of the CCC title with Los Banos, which went a perfect 5-0 in the dual matches. 

 

The Golden Valley girls earned 203 team points to finish first, which clinched a share of the CCC title with Atwater, which went 5-0 in the dual matches. That’s three consecutive championships for Golden Valley. The Cougars advanced 11 wrestlers to next week’s regional tournament.

 

The Golden Valley boys were led by Gabriel Richards (177 pounds), who was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament. Teammates Liam Fagan (122), Benjamin Bennett (134) and Emmanuel Trevino (167) all won individual CCC titles. All four GV wrestlers won via pin in the finals to help boost the Cougars’ chances of winning the tournament. 

 

“It was interesting to watch as the day progressed, because, on the boys side, we weren't in first all day. Atwater and El Cap were ahead of us for long periods of time, but once the medal matches came around, that's where we kind of separated a little bit and jumped up there,” said Golden Valley coach Chopper Mello.

 

Los Banos won five individual titles on the boys side with Xander Sois (108), Arthur Fernandez (128), Michael Coelho (146), Zander Gonzalez (152) and Luke Borelli (217) all winning CCC championships. Other individual winners in the boys tournament included El Capitan’s Kenneth Xiong (115), Merced’s Jacob Castillo (140), Atwater’s Eathyn Hernandez (159) and Mason Medeiros (192) and El Capitan’s William Fuller (287).

 

The four Golden Valley girls wrestlers to win individual championships were Neveah Rodriguez (107), who became a four-time CCC champion. Teammates Kaylee Miranda (132), Paytin Gastelum (147) and Christina Vang (157) also won individual titles. Atwater took home five individual titles with Alyna Carlos (117), Alexia Amador (137), Natalya Cruz (142), Juliana Silvera (172) and Jalynn Harris (237). Other girls to win individual titles were Merced’s Maya Rodriguez (102) and Leeyah Rodriugez (112), Buhach Colony’s Ailleen Ramirez (122), Los Banos’s Agnelina Borelli (127) and El Capitan’s Audrina Moreno (192).

 

“he team goals are narrowing down as the year gets to the end here, because after league, we let the kids focus on individual goals,” Mellos said. “So for the tournament, we wanted them to have their last real team goals right here and that was to win the tournament. It was nice to see both teams do it.”

 

WAC Tournament

The Livingston High girls won six individual titles to run away with the Western Athletic Conference Championships. The Wolves finished with 248 points as they advanced 10 wrestlers on to next week’s regional tournament. Central Valley finished second with 206.5 points.

 

Livingston’s Aallyah Jordan (107), Ileyah Blaine (117), Natalie Cervantes (127), Aleyda Revuelta (132), Lexi Perez (147) and Alexcya Hurtado (192) all won WAC championships in their division. 

 

In the boys tournament, Livingston’s Leonado Fernandez won the 115-pound WAC championship. He’ll be joined by five of his Wolves’ teammates at the SJS Division IV Championship at Pacheco High in Los Banos on Saturday.

 

Shawn Jansen is the MUSHD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.