Hollister junior heavyweight Tito Flores was the only Tri-County
Athletic League champion for the Balers in Saturday’s T-CAL
wrestling tournament at Mattson Gym.
Hollister junior heavyweight Tito Flores was the only Tri-County Athletic League champion for the Balers in Saturday’s T-CAL wrestling tournament at Mattson Gym.
Flores, the No. 2 seed, defeated fourth-seeded Mike Gamez of Live Oak 5-2. Flores had the first takedown then added an escape and another takedown in the third period.
In the team standings, as expected, Gilroy was the victor with 181.5 points. The Balers were a respectable second with 135 points. Palma, showing good strength in the upper weights, was third with 128.5 points.
“We had a couple of matches we really wanted that didn’t go our way,” said Mustangs coach Armondo Gonzales. “That’s something that you always dwell on. Hollister was really tough this league tournament. They pushed us. We were able to keep our heads and pull (most) of those matches out.”
“It was nice Tito won the league title,” said Baler coach Matt Olejnik. “I hope he realizes now, if he works hard, he can improve on that. All he needs to do is keep working hard and good things will happen.”
The Central Coast Section meet, which will be held this Friday and Saturday at Independence High in San Jose, seeded its field yesterday. Olejnik served as the league rep.
The only Baler seeded was Octavio Lucatero, who was second at 135 pounds. Lucatero, however, dropped a 6-3 decision to Gilroy’s Gilbert Gutierrez in the championship match on Saturday. Lucatero trailed 3-0 entering the third period. He pulled within one point with a takedown, but Gutierrez added an escape and a takedown for valuable insurance points. It avenged their only other meeting when Lucatero nipped Gutierrez 4-2 at O’Donnell Gym on Jan. 15.
“We have a lot of respect for each other on and off the mat,” said Gutierrez. “I wrestled with more heart this time around.”
Lucatero suffered a head-butt in a semifinal with Eric McKenzie of Salinas, but didn’t offer it as an excuse.
“That didn’t affect me at all,” said Lucatero, who applied an ice pack on his head following his loss to Gutierrez. “I went in a little cocky and expecting to win. I had a game plan going in and I didn’t execute it.”
The Balers had a total of eight wrestlers in the finals. In the 215-pound weight class, the Balers Shawn Donnelly actually led Gilroy’s Jose Abboron 6-2 late in the first period. Abboron forged ahead in the second period 8-4, but Donnelly scored four points to tie the match 8-8 going into the third. Abboron found a second wind and quickly pinned Donnelly at the start of the third period.
There were a couple of other Balers who were close. Alex Diaz wrestled with intestinal fortitude in his bout with top seed Callen Rombsberg of Gilroy at 140-pounds. Diaz rallied from a 4-0 deficit to trail 4-3 midway through the second period before eventually losing 8-3. It was a good effort by the sophomore Diaz for Romsberg is fifth seeded going into CCS.
Nick Carpenter was the darkhorse story of the tournament for the Balers. Carpenter, wrestling at 160, shocked Gilroy’s Martin Serrano by pinning Serrano in the semis. Carpenter, a junior, battled top seed Mark Boutwell of Palma in the title match before bowing 8-3.
Hollister’s Joe Verissimo was dealt an 11-0 major decision by the talented John Gurich, the top seed at 103 in the CCS tournament. Armondo Gonzales, son of the Gilroy’s head coach, maybe the top freshman wrestler in the state pound-for-pound. At 119, Gonzales worked Driskill for a 15-1 major in the title match. Driskill had upset second seed Michael Orozco of Salinas in the semis with a 9-2 decision. Anthony Sunseri, who had the loudest fan section present, lost 9-3 in the championship match to Gilroy’s Chad Haygood at 130. Sunseri pushed Haygood and was down 4-3 late in the first period after he scored two points right before the buzzer.
Other Balers who will advance to CCS are Daniel DiSalvo, fourth at 112; Brent Kelsey, third at 125; Trevor Guerra, third at 145; and Robbie Johnson, third at 152. The top four placers advance to CCS.
Other T-CAL champions include Adin Duenas of Gilroy at 112 pounds; 125-pounder Danny San Juan of Gilroy, who defeated defending CCS champ Marcus Pettis of Salinas 3-2 in the match of the day; Gilroy’s Andrew Rauss, a winner at 145; Palma’s Ernie Varela at 152; Gilroy’s Mark Zabala at 171; and Palma’s Luke Lippincott at 189.
Gurich, Gonzales, San Juan and Zavala are the top seeds entering CCS, as is Varela.
Gates open at 8 a.m. both days with the first championship round at 9 a.m. There will be an admission fee charged each day, though a two-day pass is available.
