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Mackey drops first match Saturday
Ripon senior ends career with Top 12 state finish
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Ryan Mackey battles Napa’s Conor Trombetta Saturday at the CIF state tournament at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
BAKERSFIELD — Down 3-2 with 20 seconds remaining in his first match Saturday at the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships, Ryan Mackey had little choice but to shoot.

Napa’s Conor Trombetta was ready when Mackey went to the mat to try and steal the win.

Instead, it was Trombetta who took control in the final moments, scoring off Mackey’s late bid and walking away with an 8-2 win.

With the loss, Mackey was eliminated from contention early and walked away from his second straight state tournament with a Top 12 finish.

“We knew going in that (Trombetta) was going to be tough,” Ripon head coach Glen White said. “He was on a roll (heading in) just like Ryan was.

“Ryan made a mistake. But that’s the way state works, you don’t have any chances to make mistakes.”

Mackey was understandably disappointed with the loss, but White helped to put things into perspective.

“Ryan sees it as not placing,” White said. “But he had a very successful tournament. Ryan takes everything hard right away, but in time he will see it.”

Mackey, the 2008 Bulletin All Area Most Valuable Wrestler, was the only area wrestler to qualify for the state tournament for the second straight season.

Mackey, who went 2-2 last year in Bakersfield, finished 3-2.

— Brandon Petersen