Balers cut early deficit down to 7, but can’t complete comeback
against rival Gilroy, fall 48-25
In wrestling, momentum gained and momentum lost is something
that happens from round to round, and not necessarily match to
match.
But when the eight-time defending Central Coast Section champs
jump out to a 20-0 lead through the first four weight classes, with
each victory coming either via fall or major decision, the
immediate hill looks a little more steeper to climb.
Balers cut early deficit down to 7, but can’t complete comeback against rival Gilroy, fall 48-25
In wrestling, momentum gained and momentum lost is something that happens from round to round, and not necessarily match to match.
But when the eight-time defending Central Coast Section champs jump out to a 20-0 lead through the first four weight classes, with each victory coming either via fall or major decision, the immediate hill looks a little more steeper to climb.
“We have to understand that each match is its own entity and not to get caught up in the momentum,” San Benito head coach Brian DeCarli said Tuesday night.
Although it was the Balers’ turn to host the Prune Bowl of wrestling matches this year, and it kicked off the evening with a special Senior Night ceremony, Gilroy’s initial 20-point lead proved to be too much to overcome.
Despite San Benito cutting the deficit, to 26-19 and later 32-25, the visiting Mustangs delivered big points in key matches en route to a 48-25 victory — one point better than last season’s 47-25 triumph.
The Mustangs actually earned victories in four of the final five matches of the night, while the team’s strength in the lower and middle weight classes was also showcased, as Gilroy won each weight from 114s to 147s.
Gilroy head coach Greg Varela was simply pleased to leave Hollister with a win.
“We got what we expected out of Hollister. They’re nails and they’re always ready to wrestle,” said Varela, who felt Gilroy wouldn’t be where it is today if “Hollister wasn’t pushing us.”
For the ninth year in a row, the Mustangs end the regular season as the lone undefeated team in the Tri-County Athletic League, and their first four matches on Tuesday night set the tone.
Beginning at 132s, Aaron Gonzalez beat Raul Suarez by a 15-3 major decision; Daniel Barbosa pinned Dominic Cortes with five seconds remaining in the third round; Niko Villarreal defeated Zack Rodriguez by a 17-6 major decision; and Willie Fox won by fall over Jonathan Arballo within the first minute of the opening period.
Baler senior Mikey Soto managed to finally stop the Mustang momentum at 154 pounds when he pinned Lupe Jimenez in 2:53.
“It was disappointing because I thought we could have wrestled better. Depending on the lineup, I thought we could have won seven (matches), with the possibility of eight,” said DeCarli, whose Balers were instead limited to just five wins on Tuesday. “So, we underachieved as a team tonight.”
Although pleased with the win, Varela pointed out his team’s top-work is in need of improvement.
“Hollister did a very good job on the bottom,” the Gilroy head coach added.
That much was evident in what was perhaps the match of the night at 162 pounds between Baler Tim Castillo and Mustang Julian Carbajal. After all, it was the only match that wasn’t decided by fall or major decision.
Castillo controlled a 2-0 lead entering the second period — he scored a takedown with three seconds left in the first — and wrestled in the down position for the entire two minutes. But he prevented Carbajal from ever finding the scoreboard, grasping to the Gilroy wrestler’s right leg for much of the second period and not allowing him to maneuver.
In the third, with Castillo still down after he deferred to start the previous period, Carbajal cut the San Benito wrestler for an escape point with 40 seconds remaining, but was unable to earn a takedown in the waning moments.
Castillo, meanwhile, delivered a takedown with 11 seconds left en route to a 5-0 decision.
“We need to dominate that (top) position and we definitely didn’t dominate that position (tonight),” Varela said.
However, trailing 20-9 at that point, San Benito would have needed to sweep the higher weight classes to have a chance, DeCarli felt. But it only managed to take two of the four bouts.
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