Friday, Feb. 01, 2013

Wrestling match ends with Tigers on top

The Pacheco wrestling team hasn't caught up to Los Banos yet, as evidenced by a 60-9 Tigers victory Wednesday at Pacheco.

"(Our goal was) to finish our dual season out. We wanted to stay above all the rivalry stuff and just come out and wrestle our match," Los Banos coach Josh Adams said. "Some of our guys came out kind of sloppy, so I was a little disappointed in that, but Pacheco was fired up, they had nothing to lose, they're knocking at the door wanting to win matches."

Los Banos earned pins from Dretel Blackwell at 195 pounds, Riko Quintana at 120, Josh Bustamante at 126, Jimmy Felix at 132, Gabe Mendoza at 138, Andrew Cintora at 145, Phillip Martinez at 152 and Marcus Carrillo at 160.

Pacheco had three wins, starting with Nick Vermillion's 2-0 win against Bailey Rodriguez at 220 pounds, followed by Everardo Santillan's double-overtime 2-1 win against Armando Pelayo at heavyweight.

"Everardo was a beautiful match. I wasn't thinking Everardo would be able to get past that guy," Pacheco coach Michael Singh said. "We wrestled him before in Firebaugh, and he beat us 4-2. Everardo did a really good job. He was smart."

Pacheco's Robert Burkart added a 10-4 win over Markus Rico at 170 pounds.

Both teams will send their female wrestlers to the Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Masters meet today and tomorrow. The top five in each bracket will earn a spot at the state girls meet. LB is sending four wrestlers -- Maria Gonzalez, Elizabeth Pelayo and sophomores Carla Diaz and Taylor Silva. All but Pelayo have winning records.

The last local wrestler to make state was LB's Mabel Flores in 2011, who now wrestles at Pacific University in Stockton.

"She was more already a varsity-level girl coming in. She came in already wrestling," said LB coach Jose Castro, who oversees the junior varsity and girls programs. "These girls are groomed from right there in our room. Less accomplished, but definitely capable of making it to the next level."

Pacheco will send six or seven wrestlers, led by Maria Quiroz, Taryn Mitchell and Myranda Velasquez.

Enterprise reporter David Witte can be reached by phone at 388-6565 or by e-mail at sports@losbanosenterprise.com

Enterprise reporter David Witte can be reached by phone at 388-6565 or by e-mail at sports@losbanosenterprise.com