On Tuesday, four days prior to the start of the Tri-County
Athletic League Wrestling Championships, the San Benito Haybalers
were conducting challenge matches in their small, steamy wrestling
room, where the winner made plans for the postseason, and the loser
set his sights on the following winter. The situation was tense,
for sure. But that’s part of the point. The do-or-die approach of
the postseason is slightly easier to handle gradually than it is
all at once, which will be the case for some when TCALs kicks off
on Saturday morning at Gilroy.
HOLLISTER
On Tuesday, four days prior to the start of the Tri-County Athletic League Wrestling Championships, the San Benito Haybalers were conducting challenge matches in their small, steamy wrestling room, where the winner made plans for the postseason, and the loser set his sights on the following winter.
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The situation was tense, for sure. But that was part of the point. The do-or-die approach of the postseason is slightly easier to handle gradually than it is all at once, which will be the case for some when TCALs kicks off on Saturday morning at Gilroy.
For the Balers, though, the challenge matches also represented some of the redundancies the team has right now. Although one match Tuesday decided who would wrestle at 147 pounds and at 154 pounds, with the winner earning the lower of the two weight classes, the match at 127s pitted two wrestlers for just one spot.
In wrestling, after all, there are 14 weight classes and 14 wrestlers for those spots. There are no substitutes.
“You spend all this time with the kids, you’d like to see room for all of them,” San Benito head coach Brian DeCarli said. “At this time of year, you’re gonna leave someone behind. But that’s the way it is.
“There’s a finality.”
That is perhaps a bit of an understatement for the postseason, in general. While the TCALs might not hold as much water as the CCS Championships or the state championships, the year-end league tournament still represents the start of what each wrestler is trying to accomplish.
If you can’t make it out of TCALs, CCS and state are off the radar as well.
“Everyone understands at this point of the year what’s at stake,” DeCarli said. “The challenge matches, those really just drive that part home.
“There’s always someone to take your spot.”
San Benito will enter TCALs Saturday with 13 wrestlers but without a heavyweight competitor. Javier Bustillos, who has at times been competing in the 287-pound weight division this season, will instead square off at 215 pounds — a sign of just how underweight he was for the top weight class.
Moving down the ladder at 191 pounds is Miguel Martin del Campo, who recently received honorable mention in the state at 191s according to The California Wrestler, which ranks the Top 40 in each division.
In fact, San Benito’s highest ranked wrestler, Mikey Soto, was listed at No. 34 in the state at 142s in the most recent rankings.
Joining him on the list was Zack Rodriguez, who enters TCALs at No. 39 at 137 pounds.
Other wrestlers who are expected to compete Saturday are Tony Gatto (105 pounds), Christian Baldwin (121), Robb Rodriguez (127), Jay Garcia (132), Dominic Cortes (137), Greg Landry (147), Jonathan Arballo (154), Nick Mendizabal (162) and Joey Garcia (191).
With the exception of a few challenge matches, though, the Balers have been out of action since their dual meet against Gilroy on Feb. 8, meaning TCALs will be the first live wrestling in more than two and a half weeks for San Benito.
But with the league tournament qualifying the top five wrestlers in each weight class to CCS, and with San Benito expected to send all 13 of its wrestlers as well, DeCarli said the biggest key to Saturday’s meet is keeping everyone healthy.
Again, it’s the postseason, and while there are injuries, there are no substitutes.
“I’m just excited to be at this point,” DeCarli said. “We’re always talking about it — practicing for the end of the year. Now, it’s no longer practice.
“We’re at the point where it means something.”
The TCAL Championships will be held on Saturday at Gilroy High. Matches begin at 10 a.m. The top five wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the CCS Championships, slated for Feb. 25-26 at Independence High School in San Jose.
San Benito Haybalers
105 — Tony Gatto; 114 — Christian Baldwin; 121 — Robb Rodriguez; 127 — Jay Garcia; 132 — Dominic Cortes; 137 — Zack Rodriguez; 142 — Mikey Soto; 147 — Greg Landry; 154 — Jonathan Arballo; 162 — Nick Mendizabal; 173 — Joey Garcia; 191 — Miguel Martin del Campo; 217 — Javier Bustillos; 287 — N/A.
