The 20th Annual Kenny Fehlman Memorial Wrestling Tournament
should be a dandy for wrestling afficianados everywhere.
The 20th Annual Kenny Fehlman Memorial Wrestling Tournament should be a dandy for wrestling aficianados everywhere.
Hollister High, which has won three Central Coast Section championships in the last five years, will host eight other stalwart wrestling programs at Mattson Gym this weekend.
First bouts are at 1 p.m. on Friday with the tournament continuing Saturday at 9 a.m.
Joining the field are Fremont (Sunnyvale), Wilcox (Santa Clara), Farmersvile (Visalia), Central (Fresno), Dos Pueblos (Santa Barbara), Atascadero, East Bakersfield, and Centennial (Bakersfield).
The tournament is named after Fehlman, who wrestled one year in 1981 at 103-pounds and died in an auto accident in 1982. This is 20th annual tournament named in his honor.
“Kenny was a fireplug, a spark plug type of wrestler,” said Baler head coach Matt Olejnik. “He obviously made a lasting impression as a wrestler.”
Olejnik has quite a few wrestlers who will make lasting impression’s on this year’s squad. The main problem is with two key injuries, plus a lot of inexperience at the varsity level. The team, as a whole, is young.
“I imagine when the season gets sorted out, we’ll have two seniors wrestling on the varsity level,” said Olejnik.
Here is the breakdown of the Baler personnel, which is still unsettled in some weight classes. Olejnik comments on some wrestlers and weight classes.
-103 pounds – Jonathan Bourbon (Fr.)- Won the six-team Novice Tournament in Hollister on Wednesday with three wins. “He’s a mighty-mite with a lot of energy. He’s strong, aggressive and has a great attitude.”
-112 pounds – “We’re going to go by committee for now.”
-119 pounds – Jamie Driskill (So.) A top-flight wrestler last year at 103’s. “I’d like him at 112’s, which would open up our ’19’s, But I don’t think he can cut the weight.”
-125 pounds – Trevor Guerra (Sr.). Chris Uribe (Jr.) will either wrestle 119’s or 125’s as a utility.
-132 pounds – Brent Kelsey (Sr.). A lot of varsity experience. Others include Adam Sunseri (Jr.) and Jake DeHann (Sr.), both of whom might help at 137’s.
-137 pounds – By committee.
-142 pounds – Octavio Lucatero (Jr.) Unfortunately, Lucatero, the top-ranked wrestler in the section, incurred a cut above his left eye in Wednesday’s practice when his head hit Uribe’s knee. “I don’t know yet if Octavio will wrestle this weekend,” said Olejnik. “He might be able to wrestle with a mask on.” Backup is Alex Diaz (So.)
-147 pounds – Diaz is a possibility.
-152 pounds – Alejo Velasquez (Jr.) One of the best wreslters on the team, Velasquez is scheduled to be medically-cleared from a broken hand injury, suffered while playing football, on Dec. 31. Olejnik is counting the days. Backup is Robbie Johnson (Sr.).
-162 pounds – Francisco Avilles (So.) and Nick Carpenter (Jr.). Carpenter won the JV title last year. “He’s tough,” said Olejnik of Carpenter. Avilles ran well for the Baler JV football team.
-171 pounds- Ryan Dunne (Fr.) and Kyle Horn (So.)
-189 pounds – Sean Donnelly (Sr.)
-215 pounds – Matt De La Rosa (Jr.) is the man, but is still not cleared to wrestle due to a shoulder injury. He will be soon. Others include Jake Mahan (So.) and Jessie Grace (So.)
-Heavyweight – Tito Flores (Jr.) Mahan can also wrestle here.
“We have so many holes were like a spaghetti callender,” said Olejnik. “We’re not going to be any worse than we are now at the end of the year. We can only get better. When Alejo and Matt come back, that will open things up for us a little. Our season is going to depend on how the Trevor Guerra’s wrestle or guys like that. Guys that don’t have a lot of varsity experience.”
Currently Gilroy, who is in the Tri-County Athletic League with the Balers, is the top-ranked team in the section. The Balers are ranked fifth. The Balers will know where they stand, for the moment, when they wrestle Fremont this weekend. The Firebirds, who are entered in the Fehlman Tourney, are ranked third in the section by an area Web site.
