San Benito wins nine of the 14 weight classes in dominating
performance at Palma
SALINAS
When the Central Coast Section Championships begin on Feb. 20, the San Benito Haybalers will be somewhat under the radar, outside of the limelight that Gilroy and St. Francis demand.
That’s because despite their high ranking – the Haybalers are ranked as high as No. 3 in some polls – San Benito remains riddled with wrestlers out of the lineup and out of place, leaving questions of where the team will stack up once everything falls into order.
But San Benito may have provided a glimpse of things to come on Wednesday night, though. With two starters out and two other wrestlers missing weight, the No. 3 ‘Balers broke down No. 4 Palma anyway en route to a 50-23 victory.
Although not as dominating as last year’s 61-12 win over the Chieftains, San Benito won nine of the 14 weight classes on Wednesday, nonetheless, including seven by way of fall.
“It’s a lot better than I expected we’d do,” San Benito head coach Brian DeCarli said. “I sound like a broken record, but with the injuries we had and with our 112- and 119-pounders not making weight today, we actually had wrestled them at 119s and 125s instead of what we planned on.
“Taking that into consideration, and with how we’ve been banged up lately, it’s definitely a good match. A lot better than expected.”
Nikko Espinoza wrestled up to the 119-pound weight class where he cruised to an 11-4 decision over Palma’s Sam Eastman, while Junior Davila, who returned to the lineup after being held out of Mid Cals last weekend with a hand injury, moved up to 125 pounds and posted a pin late in the first round against Chieftain Josh Gonzales.
“It’s good to see him out there, especially after Overfelt where his hand was really bothering him,” DeCarli said.
The night started out toward the bottom of the weight classes at 215 pounds, however, where the Chieftains are at their strongest. And Palma seized the opportunity as Hunter Baird and Evan Swenson each won their respective matches over San Benito’s Martin Garcia (tech. fall) and Adam Davis (fall).
But the momentum began to shift toward San Benito when Raul Suarez scored a third-round fall on Nick Busby at 103. The ‘Balers, beginning at Espinoza’s 119-pound decision over Eastman, then won eight of the remaining 10 matches, including six by fall and four straight.
Although the Chieftains built a 17-6 lead early, San Benito took the lead for good at 130 pounds when Zach Rodriguez defeated KC Silacci by fall in the third round, supplying the Haybalers with a 21-17 edge.
“With the final score being what it was, it was truly a team effort. But probably that one match where we really wrestled the best and really well was Silacci and Zach (Rodriguez) at 130s,” DeCarli said. “[Rodriguez] has been wrestling a lot better as far as his tournament placings go, so to not only really compete well but to stick him was really big for us, but probably more important for him.
“Hopefully we’re getting him to peak now, and that’s a good thing.”
Rodriguez scored a takedown early in the first before Silacci battled back with two escapes, one before the first-round buzzer and another before the second-round buzzer.
Knotted at 2-all heading to the third period, Rodriguez scored a quick escape from the down position, then a takedown before pinning Silacci midway though the final period.
“I think I was good, but I was a little tired,” said Rodriguez, who had never faced Silacci before. “This year hasn’t been going so good for me. But I was just better than him, I think.”
San Benito followed with four falls by Geo Coelho at 135 pounds, Steven Borba at 140, Josh Ramirez at 152 and Justin Raine at 160, which clinched the match for the ‘Balers. Enrique Lucatero won his 171-pound match over Devon Santos by a 17-2 technical fall.
“At Overfelt, I was a little concerned with the injuries and with some of the kids wrestling under their expectations, but now we’re seeing it tune back the other way with Mid Cals,” DeCarli said. “With Palma, I expected it to be a closer because they’re a little more top heavy than we were, and there were gonna be some key matches at the lower weights.
“But we pretty much dominated, depth-wise.”
Wednesday’s quad dual meet – San Benito also defeated North Salinas 56-12 earlier in the night – was DeCarli’s coaching return to Palma High. DeCarli graduated from the Salinas school in 1997, the same year he took sixth in the state at 152 pounds.
“It’s special because I have a ton of respect for them,” DeCarli said. “It’s always good to see them because I respect them a lot.”
And it’s always good to return with a win, especially.
San Benito 50, Palma 28.
105 – SB, R. Suarez def. N. Busby, fall (R3); 114 – PAL, J. Ramirez def. N. Olguin, fall (R1); 121 – SB, N. Espinoza def. S. Eastman, 11-4 dec; 127 – SB, J. Davila def. J. Gonzales, fall (R1); 132 – SB, Z. Rodriguez def. KC Silacci, fall (R3); 137 – SB, G. Coelho def. E. Farfan, fall (R1); 142 – SB, S. Borba def. C. Gollnick, fall (R3); 147 – PAL, J. Basco def. J. Fontaine, 19-3 tech. fall; 154 – SB, J. Ramirez def. M. Sarmiento, fall (R1); 162 – SB, J. Raine def. A. Martinez, fall (R3); 173 – SB, E. Lucatero def. D. Santos, 17-2 tech. fall; 191 – PAL, Z. Jimenez def. B. Mott, fall (R1); 217 – PAL, H. Baird def. M. Garcia, 16-0 tech. fall; 289 – PAL, E. Swenson def. A. Davis, fall (R3).
San Benito 56, North Salinas 12.
Individual results not reported.
