San Benito holds on for runner-up finish at CCS Wrestling
Championships
Outside expectations got tossed aside Saturday by the San Benito Haybalers, which captured second place in the Central Coast Section Wrestling Championships held at Overfelt High School.
The ‘Balers had four wrestlers make it into the finals – Junior Davila, Josh Ramirez, Fernando Lucatero and Buddy Barraza – with each taking second place. The team finished with a score of 151, second only to Gilroy High which won its sixth consecutive team title with a score of 249.5.
“I can’t be any happier,” San Benito coach Matt Olejnik said. “Our kids wrestled great … It’s been a long time since we placed six, had four in the finals and four to state.”
Enrique Lucatero and Manny Tovar were two others from San Benito to place. The two finished fifth in the 160- and 171-pound divisions, respectively.
Ramirez had the closest finals match of the four, battling St. Francis’ Dominic Kastl for two evenly matched rounds before entering the final period down 1-0 after a Kastl escape. On top to start the final two minutes, Kastl was able to score a reversal and hold on for a 3-0 win.
“I was gassed for some reason,” Ramirez said. “I couldn’t get away, that’s why he beat me. Usually that’s not a problem for me, but man, he rode me really well. If I had thirty seconds maybe I could have done something. I had his legs.”
The victory was the second CCS title in a row for the second-seeded Kastl.
While Ramirez entered the CCS the favorite in the 145-pound division and was disappointed with the outcome, he said he won’t let the performance affect him as he starts preparing for the CIF State Wrestling Championships being held Friday and Saturday at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Calif.
“This week I’m just going to train like crazy again,” Ramirez said.
Fernando Lucatero lost his 152-pound final 15-6 to Geoff Doss of Los Gatos, but will become the fifth Lucatero to make a trip to the state championships, joining brothers Jose, Eddie, Saul and Octavio.
At 215, Barraza lost a close 5-1 decision to St. Francis’ No. 1 Drew Meulman, while Davila, only a sophomore, lost in the third round by pin to Gilroy’s Jesse Delgado.
“Last year [Davila] was third, this year he’s in the finals,” Olejnik said. “I couldn’t be more proud of him. He wrestled hard. He had a great tournament.
“If we have to lose to somebody, it might as well be the best in the state. [Junior] has a great future ahead if him.”
There is a strong future for Ramirez, Lucatero, Barraza and Davila, as the foursome will head south to Bakersfield this weekend.
Looking to make their mark at state, Olejnik said San Benito will need a winning attitude coming into the competition to have any chance of success.
“If you go into it wanting to win it, you can place,” he said. “If you go in thinking to place and fall short, you get nothing.”
At 112, Davila will face Cesar Sanchez of Porterville in his first match at state; at 145, Ramirez will see Nolon Doss of Liberty-Madera; at 152, Lucatero will be up against Julius Wright of Sheldon; and at 215, Barraza will grapple with Jessie Grimes of Washington.
CCS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Individuals:
103 – David Bazan – 0-2, DNP
112 – Junior Davila – 4-1, 2nd
119 – Zach Rodriguez – 3-2, DNP
125 – Geo Coelho, 3-2, DNP
130 – Morris Stevens, 1-2, DNP
135 – Steven Borba, 2-2, DNP
145 – Josh Ramirez, 4-1, 2nd
152 – Fernando Lucatero, 4-1, 2nd
160 – Enrique Lucatero, 6-2, 5th
171 – Manny Tovar, 5-2, 5th
189 – Martin Garcia, 0-2, DNP
215 – Buddy Barraza, 4-1, 2nd
285 – Adam Davis, 1-2, DNP
Teams:
1 – Gilroy, 249.5
2 – San Benito, 151
3 – St. Francis, 140.5
4 – Los Gatos, 134.5
5 – Palma, 133
6 – Watsonville, 91.5
7 – Silver Creek, 82.5
8 – Serra, 77.5
9 – Monterey, 74
10 – Valley Christian, 71
