San Benito Wrestling Squad Takes Title at the Jim Root
Classic
Don’t look now, but the San Benito wrestling team is on quite a roll to start the calendar year.
The latest installment in the Haybalers’ strong run? The championship at the Jim Root Classic over the weekend at West Valley College.
San Benito’s march to the title in this individual tournament came on the heels of dominant Tri-County Athletic League victories over Salinas and Live Oak, and a runner-up finish in the dual-meet Silicon Valley Challenges the previous weekend.
“All of the hard work they’ve been putting in, it’s really showed,” said ‘Balers assistant coach Pat Dunn.
At the Jim Root Classic, a 34-team affair, San Benito had three individual champions out of its 11 wrestlers, along with four others who finished in the top-six. The ‘Balers, as a team, finished with 141.5 points, using a late charge to top second-place Monterey (135.5 points).
“It was a good performance by a good, young team,” said Dunn. “We wrestled very well. We were very, very aggressive. It was a good test for us. I was glad to see them come together.”
In the middle of the action, as usual, were Chris Mora and Fernando Lucatero. Both ‘Balers posted 4-0 runs in the tournament and, according to Dunn, performed the best they have yet this season. And that’s saying something. The two have yet to lose a match in 2006!
Mora, a senior wrestling in the 119-pound classification, punctuated his outstanding weekend with a 6-2 victory in the final over highly-regarded Devin Matsudo of James Lick. “It was a huge victory for Chris,” said Dunn. “It was the best I’ve seen him all year long. He wrestled absolutely fantastic.”
Mora, 15-4 on the season, has won all 10 of his matches in the New Year.
Lucatero, a sophomore who was wrestling in his first individual final, sealed San Benito’s title with a 13-3 decision in the 140-pound competition. All the more impressive was the fact that Lucatero easily dispatched the same Monterey opponent he need overtime to defeat 6-4 in a match earlier this season.
“He really whipped him good,” said Dunn of Lucatero, who moved to a perfect 12-0 in 2006. “To take first as a sophomore was very exciting for him. He wrestled like a senior veteran, just excellent.”
San Benito’s third individual champion was its senior leader, Ryan Dunn. Returning to action for his first extensive action since separating his shoulder last month, Dunn showed few effects of the layoff. The top seed in the 215-pound bracket, Dunn knocked off all three of his opponents with ease. The senior didn’t allow a point as he won once by fall and twice by decision.
“He felt he could’ve done better,” said ‘Balers head coach Matt Olejnik of Dunn, who nevertheless pushed his record to a perfect 15-0 this season. “He was a little rusty, but he looks to be on the right track. He did what he was supposed to do.”
Sophomore Armando Lerma (103-pound) and Luis Borocios (130-pound), finished third and fourth, respectively, in their brackets. Lerma, a sophomore, won four of his five matches, while Borocios, a junior, finished 3-2.
San Benito also cashed in with solid performances by two of its seniors. Kyle Sexton (152-pound) and Josh Sanchez (171-pound) won consolation championships, finishing sixth with identical 3-2 records.
Down 11 points heading into the consolation finals, the ‘Balers quickly made up ground on Monterey and secured the title with their three individual championships.
“That was a heckuva comeback,” said Pat Dunn, Ryan’s father. “They really rallied. I was really happy with the intensity. The seniors–Chris and Ryan–spearheaded it.”
Bolstered by the confidence it has gained from its recent success, San Benito hits the road for another individual tournament on Saturday. The ‘Balers are entered in the 24-team field at the North Coast Classic in Eureka. Olejnik believes it will be a good test for his team.
“There are some tough boys up there,” said Olejnik. “It’s a good opportunity to wrestle. Hopefully, we’ll make a run at the title.”
