San Benito’s Octavio Lucatero and Alejo Velasquez will begin
their quest for a state wrestling title in the CIF State Finals at
the Centennial Gardens in Bakersfield this weekend.
San Benito’s Octavio Lucatero and Alejo Velasquez will begin their quest for a state wrestling title in the CIF State Finals at the Centennial Gardens in Bakersfield this weekend.
The weigh-ins are at 7 a.m. today, and the competition begins at 9 a.m. The Championship Finals are Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
“You got to try to develop a few things people haven’t seen you do before,” said Haybaler coach Matt Olejnik. “Hopefully that little bit of changeup will keep their opponents off edge. You can’t be the same wrestler you were, because people have been scouting you.”
Both wrestlers will be competing in 33-man brackets. Lucatero, at 140, will face Anthony Lucero from Lincoln High School. Lucero was the fourth-place finisher in the San-Joaquin Section.
Velasquez, at 160, will face Evan Barbre from Vista High School in the first round. Barbre finished third in the San Diego Section.
Although both Lucatero and Velasquez are favored to win their first rounds, coach Matt Olejnik said anything can happen.
“Both guys have decent draws,” Olejnik said. “But you have to win the close matches. Otherwise they come back to haunt you. If you can get past the first two rounds and get some momentum, you are tough to beat.”
The Balers left Thursday afternoon to check into the hotel and work out before the competition begins.
Neither wrestler is familiar with his first-round opponent, Olejnik said.
If Lucatero can win in his first and second rounds, he could face Antioch’s Nathan Bingham, the North Coast Section champion who Lucatero faced earlier.
Lucatero, who was the Central Coast Section runner-up, is coming off a controversial last-second loss by decision.
“Sometimes it gives you a little more motivation to work harder and make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Olejnik said. “He’s lost some tough matches before, but he has always bounced back.”
Velasquez, who finished as the CCS champion, is making his first trip to the State Finals. He was nursing an injury last year and just missed qualifying his sophomore year after finishing fourth in the section.
Lucatero has been there two times before. Last year, he was one match from getting to the medal rounds.
“They have been working hard and are ready to go,” Olejnik said. “They’re coming in with the mindset that they can win the tournament, knowing it’s their last opportunity.”
