Mikey Soto, like many on the San Benito High wrestling team,
still feels as if there is something left to prove after last
weekend’s Tri-County Athletic League Championships. The team
struggled in the medal round last Saturday, falling in seven of its
13 matches, including five times in bouts that decided first and
second place.
HOLLISTER
Mikey Soto, like many on the San Benito High wrestling team, still feels as if there is something left to prove after last weekend’s Tri-County Athletic League Championships.
The team struggled in the medal round last Saturday, falling in seven of its 13 matches, including five times in bouts that decided first and second place.
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For Soto, the favorite to win the 142-pound weight class at TCALs, he injured his right thumb during his league final against Gilroy’s Aaron Gonzalez, who would go on to earn the upset by a 6-3 decision.
This Friday and Saturday, though, at the Central Coast Section Wrestling Championships in San Jose, Soto could see Gonzalez once again in the semifinal round, with something still yet to prove.
“That’s the match I’ve got to redeem myself in for my loss at TCALs,” said Soto, who received a bit of added motivation Tuesday when he was expectedly seeded one spot behind Gonzalez at No. 3 in the 142-pound weight class. “I know I’m gonna make it to finals.
“I know I am.”
Soto is just one of 13 San Benito wrestlers who will try their hand this Friday and Saturday at CCS, and just one of 13 wrestlers who will look to improve upon their respective placing at TCALs and perhaps find a top-three spot in order to qualify to state.
San Benito head coach Brian DeCarli said the key at TCALs was remaining healthy and on-weight in order to qualify to the year-end section tournament.
But now, all the planning and practices of the past season will culminate with two days at Independence High School, where a team effort — and not just that of the Balers’ four seeded wrestlers — will be needed.
“It’s not necessarily the seeded wrestlers that are gonna help us. It’s the other guys,” DeCarli said. “Someone is gonna help us in a positive manner.
“Hopefully, it’s more than one guy. But knowing what they’re capable of, they can all wrestle well.”
San Benito will bring a full lineup to CCS, sans a heavyweight, that includes Tony Gatto (105), Chris Baldwin (114), Robb Rodriguez (121), Raul Suarez (127), Dominic Cortes (132), Zack Rodriguez (137), Greg Landry (147), Jonathan Arballo (154), Nick Mendizabal (162), Joey Garcia (173), Miguel Martin del Campo (191) and Javier Bustillos (217).
Soto, too, plans on wrestling, despite a thumb injury that noticeably limited his ability during his match with Gonzalez.
“It still hurts, but it’s getting better. I’m gonna wrestle on it,” Soto said. “It’s not gonna stop me.”
Like Soto, Zack Rodriguez at 137 pounds and Javier Bustillos at 217s both earned 3-seed distinction in their respective weight classes for CCS.
Rodriguez earned the No. 3 behind top-seeded Blake Kastl of Gilroy, whom he lost to by fall Saturday in the TCAL final, while Bustillos, the TCAL champ at 217s, earned the No. 3 as well, despite this being his first trip to the CCS tournament.
DeCarli was thinking Robb Rodriguez, who went 2-2 at 114s last year at CCS, had a chance of getting seeded after finishing fourth at Mid-Cals. But that particular weight division has experienced parity this season, DeCarli said, and could very well be wide open come this weekend.
Miguel Martin del Campo, meanwhile, earned his second straight TCAL title last weekend and the No. 4 seed at 191 pounds, but still enters CCS with something to prove.
He went 2-2 at 191s a year ago in the section tournament, and did not place.
“Just the pressure of CCS kind of got to me. I think this year I’m a lot more prepared, both mentally and physically,” said Martin del Campo, who will compete in a weight class that could also be up for grabs. Although the San Benito senior hasn’t faced the No. 2- or No. 3-seeded wrestlers in his division, he has faced top-seeded Logan Kellog of San Lorenzo Valley, and narrowly lost to him by a 6-3 decision.
“I think I’m more prepared for him,” he said. “There’s still a lot of pressure, but I feel confident.”
The Balers are currently ranked No. 3 in the CCS, according to ccsrank.com.
St. Francis is the No. 2-ranked team, and will enter the section tournament with 14 wrestlers, six of whom are seeded.
Eight-time defending champion Gilroy, meanwhile, will bring 13 wrestlers, seven of whom are seeded, including four No. 1 distinctions.
The two-day wrestling event gets under way Friday at 10 a.m. at Independence High School in San Jose. Wrestling will continue on Saturday morning, with the finals slated for 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
“A lot of the TCAL matches we should have won,” Martin del Campo said. “This weekend, we should be able to come out again and redeem ourselves.”
CIF State Girls Wrestling Invitational
San Benito wrestler Jennifer Espinoza will compete this weekend at the inaugural CIF State Girls Wrestling Invitational at Lemoore High School. Wrestling begins Friday morning at 11 a.m., and will continue on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. The championship finals are slated for 6 p.m. on Saturday.
