Wrestling coach Brian DeCarli knew it would be tough for his young team to compete at the 2012 Mid Cals in Gilroy, but after a two dual victories Wednesday, he expected his team to wrestle well.
Competing with 74 teams from around the region, the Balers placed 50th with 37 points. Host Gilroy won with 299.5 points – 50 more than the next team.
With seven wrestlers, San Benito advanced only one – Robb Rodriguez – to the second day of the tournament. The others were eliminated Friday in double elimination.
Rodriguez, who was the lone Baler ranked coming into the two-day tournament, advanced from the first two rounds of the championship bracket in the 128-weight class. Rodriguez started the day in the second round – after earning a bye – by pinning Christopher’s Nathan Myers.
In the third round, however, Rodriguez fell to Westmont’s Kyle Young in a 3-2 decision. In the fourth round of the consolation bracket, Rodriguez defeated Pitman’s Eric Ruezga 8-0 to advance to the second day.
Rodriguez’s Saturday ended early, though, when he was eliminated in the fifth round by a Justin Belnap pin.
Four other Balers were eliminated one step from advancing to the second day of the Mid Cals.
Dominic Cortes, wrestling at 140 pounds, was eliminated in the fourth round to Dos Palos’ Nathan Pimental in a 13-2 decision. Cortes opened the day by winning his first two matches in the championship bracket.
But after beating Terra Nova’s Alex Phyo 10-3, Cortes lost his final two matches of the day. South San Francisco’s Miguel Rodriguez knocked Cortes out of the championship bracket with a 11-4 decision victory.
San Benito’s Tim Castillo also wrestled well for the Balers. After falling by a 2-0 decision in his first match to Overfelt’s Pean Saetern, Castillo won his next two matches to advance to the fourth round of the consolation bracket.
He was pinned, however, and was eliminated by Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Chris Rigney.
San Benito’s Jacob Rea, wrestling at 184 pounds, and Ricardo Sosa, wrestling at 194 pounds, also advanced to the consolation bracket’s fourth round after losing their first match.
Overall, only one wrestler did not give San Benito points during the day.
Despite not placing in the upper half of the Mid Cal tournament, it was a good finish to a week that saw the Balers continue their slow season-long improvement.
The Balers opened the week with two wins over league opponents. The victories showed the Balers potential.
In duals against Alvarez and North Salinas, the Balers swept the day. Against Alvarez, the Balers used seven forfeits to their benefit and won 47-18.
San Benito record four pins in the dual.
Against North Salinas, the Balers dominated after a slow start to gather seven pins on their way to a 55-27 win.
After the Balers clinched the victory, the bench erupted with emotion. It was the Balers first taste of success this year, but it might have been the Balers best moment of the season.
“Coming in, it doesn’t happen a lot, they were a favorite over us,” DeCarli said of North Salinas. “A lot of that emotion was getting over the hump. We have a lot of youth. I would consider it a stepping stone. The win, I’m not concerned about. I’m more happy that we are wrestling better.”
Standouts included Cortes, who lost his first match against Alvarez but pulled out a tough victory over North Salinas. Freshman Elijah Riddle also impressed DeCarli.
The 108-pound Riddle used his speed to upend Alvarez’s wrestler and pin North Salinas’ Norman Napolitano.
“He had a big win over a kid that’s done a lot of good things,” DeCarli said.
The two victories showed how much the Balers have improved over the last few months, DeCarli said.
“I’m not going to jump off the band wagon of my mantra,” he said. “The whole year, I haven’t been concerned about the wins and the losses. I’ve been concerned about them improving and I don’t want to go back on my word now.”
He continued: “We have a lot of work to do. I’m really happy with the win but I’m more happy that they are not only wrestling better, but more consistent.”
