Friday, Feb. 15, 2013

All eyes on Oakdale at D4 wrestling event

When it comes to today and Saturday's Division 4 wrestling tournament, Los Banos High is the host, but all eyes are on one guest -- six-time defending champion Oakdale.

The Mustangs took individual titles in 11 of 14 weight classes at last week's Valley Oak League finals, and if a 52-13 dual win over LB in the section dual championships is any indication, there won't be much standing in the way of a seventh straight section title for Oakdale.

That's not to say WAC champion Los Banos and Sierra Valley Conference champion Vista del Lago (with its seven individual league champions) won't try, though.

"My main goal is to try to beat Oakdale," said LB's Dretel Blackwell, fresh off a 197-pound championship at the Western Athletic Conference tournament. "Oakdale has beat me before and that's a match I need to win. Just as a team, we want to place as high as we can so we can go on to Masters."

The tournament will once again feature Central Catholic wrestler Ray Lomas, a returning state 6th-place wrestler. He's joined by CC's individual WAC champions Roman Dias and Joey Abbate.

"I'm just working hard in the wrestling room, and we'll see what's coming up," Lomas said. "This year I'm hoping to be in the finals of state. Bigger goal is to win state."

The Division 4 tournament will send four wrestlers in each weight class to the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters tournament.

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