In a non-conference dual meet showdown between two top-rated
wrestling teams in the Central Coast Section, Bellarmine built an
early lead behind four straight falls, capitalized on two San
Benito forfeits, and fended off the Balers late en route to a 48-27
victory at Hollister’s Mattson Gym.
HOLLISTER
The San Benito Haybalers will likely have to wait until February now to not only get a second crack at Bellarmine, but also find out whether Thursday night’s opener against the Bells was an early-season aberration.
In a non-conference dual meet showdown between two top-rated wrestling teams in the Central Coast Section, Bellarmine built an early lead behind four straight falls, capitalized on two San Benito forfeits, and fended off the Balers late en route to a 48-27 victory at Hollister’s Mattson Gym.
“We dug ourselves a big, old hole,” San Benito head coach Brian DeCarli said regarding Bellarmine’s 24-0 lead through four weight classes on Thursday. “We did our best to come back, but it’s hard.”
The Balers got as close as 39-27 with two weights remaining, and would need to win by fall in both matches just in order to tie the Bells in the end. But one of the weights — the final weight at 160 pounds — was without a San Benito wrestler, and the Balers were forced to forfeit as a result.
“I knew we were gonna give up a couple of weights,” DeCarli said. “We have a lot of inexperienced guys, especially at the weights we were giving up.”
The dual meet with Bellarmine was San Benito’s very first match of the season, and the Balers were without some wrestlers, had a few wrestlers competing out of their ideal weight class, and had several wrestlers making their varsity debut.
Junior Davila at 130 pounds and Zack Rodriguez at 140 pounds were the only two returning wrestlers to the varsity lineup on Thursday for San Benito, which finished in fourth place in the CCS last season. Heavyweight Adam Davis was out with an illness.
“But it’s great for so many reasons,” said DeCarli, noting a match with Bellarmine early on in the season is a good way to shed San Benito’s inexperience. “You have a lot of kids coming up that need to take that on.
“There’s a lot of butterflies, I’m sure. But it’s a great way to start. Obviously you want to win, but it’s putting them in a competitive situation so you can see how they respond.”
And after Bellarmine’s Conner Doyle defeated Edgar Ceja at 171, Danny Chaid defeated Luke Diller at 189, Joe La Heran defeated Miguel Martin Del Campo at 215, and Matt Federe defeated Rudy Barrientos at 275 — each by fall — San Benito finally responded with a quick pin of its own at 103.
Jennifer Espinoza scored an early takedown on Bellarmine’s Austin Jones in the lightweight bout, then rolled around several times before pinning Jones on his back, just one minute and 23 seconds into the first round.
The Balers forfeited 112s to give the Bells a 30-6 lead when the match of the night took place at 119s between San Benito’s Raul Suarez and Bellarmine’s Kyle McDowell.
The two lightweights battled throughout, with neither wrestler earning more than a one-point lead. Suarez took a 4-3 edge to the final round, though, but was called for a hand lock with 1:26 remaining, supplying McDowell with a point. It remained knotted at 4-all until 12 seconds were left in the round, and Suarez pushed McDowell onto his back, earning a two-point near-fall in the process and a 6-4 decision.
The two teams then exchanged falls when Bellarmine’s Cassidy Octavio defeated freshman Robb Rodriguez at 125, while San Benito’s Junior Davila pinned RJ Raffanti at 130 and teammate Dominic Cortes did the same to Jordan Kelleher at 135, bringing the Balers to within 15, at 36-21.
But Bellarmine, which finished seventh in the CCS last season, took three of the remaining four matches — one by forfeit.
San Benito 152-pounder Mike Soto nearly upset Adam Pilkington, though, who finished fourth in the CCS at 145 pounds last season. The two middleweights sat tied at 8-8 in the third round, but Pilkington scored an escape early in the round and held on for the 9-8 decision.
“Bottom line, we just need to get better,” DeCarli said. “Like I told them, no one remembers these matches in December. Nobody cares if you’re a state champion in December. They just care if that’s still the case in March.”
San Benito will have a quick turnaround when it hosts the Fehlman/Baxter Tournament, which is scheduled for all day on Saturday.
“By the end of the year, we’ll have everything lined up,” DeCarli said. “We’ll go to town.”
Bellarmine 48, San Benito 27
171 — BELL, C. Doyle def. E. Ceja by fall (3:13); 189 — BELL, D. Chaid def. L. Diller by fall (3:27); 215 — BELL, J. La Heran def. M. Martin Del Campo by fall (5:06); 275 — BELL, M. Federe def. R. Barrientos by fall (3:27); 103 — SANB, J. Espinoza def. A. Jones by fall (1:23); 112 — BELL, J. Runes by forfeit; 119 — SANB, R. Suarez def. K. McDowell by dec., 6-4; 125 — BELL, C. Octavio def. R. Rodriguez by fall (3:35); 130 — SANB, J. Davila def. R. Raffanti by fall (:53); 135 — SANB, D. Cortes def. J. Kelleher by fall (1:13); 140 — BELL, E. Ruby def. Z. Rodriguez by dec., 6-1; 145 — SANB, T. Christenson def. C. Peterson by fall (3:37); 152 — BELL, A. Pilkington def. M. Soto by dec., 9-8; 160 — BELL, J. Mitchell by forfeit.
