Closing the Valley Oak League Wrestling Championships with a title in one of the 14 weight-classes was not the only way to find success in the tournament, and that was the case for nearly all of the 35 wrestlers advancing to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV Tournament with a fourth place or better finish.
Only a pair of area wrestlers were able to walk away from the league championships with a title, as the Oakdale High program was in full force, participating in 13 of the 14 championships and winning 10. Weston Ranch’s Daniel Garcia was victorious in the 140-pound title match and Sierra High’s Jose Cortez took down the 160-pound title.
Garcia was dominant in his match from the onset, finishing with a 7-3 decision over Tyler Malone of Oakdale. Garcia will be one of 10 Cougars advancing, with another two earning alternate status.
“I had a feeling coming into this tournament that he would win it,” Weston Ranch head coach Pat King said. “He is wrestling well at the right time. He has been wrestling up all year; he’s been at 152s and 145s and he’s finally coming back to where he belongs and where he’s comfortable at 140s.
“He’s wrestling strong, so hopefully he can have another good tournament next weekend.”
Cortez was in arguably the tournament’s most exciting match when he tangled with Miko Arpoika of Oakdale. Cortez and Arpoika were tied 2-2 into the final round when Cortez was able to put together a 2-point takedown to post the win.
“That was a huge win for Cortez right there,” Sierra head coach Alex Nuanez said. “He came in as the No. 2 seed and didn’t get the respect that he deserved, so he came in and earned his respect today.”
Sierra’s Aidan Foster was unable to pull out the 152-pound title, falling to Oakdale nemesis Dustin Harris. Harris took care of Foster with ease in a previous meeting this season, giving the Sierra standout reason to attack the championship match with a different game plan.
“Aidan worked a lot harder in this match,” Nuanez said. “We actually really studied Dustin (Harris) this week because last time they wrestled he got tech’d.We worked on what we could do with Dustin, and it worked out fine , but he made one little mistake and he got caught.”
Manteca High’s Charlie Alvitre missed out on the 103-pound title after getting to the championship with an 11-2 major decision over East Union’s Sarah Phillips. Alvitre was followed in defeat by Weston Ranch’s Daniel Guzman who dropped his 112-pound championship to Garrett Furtado of Oakdale.
Fellow Cougar Joe Anthony Gomez came up short in his championship quest against Tanner Feuerstine 14-2. Weston Ranch’s Donnell Simms could not participate in his 189-pound championship due to injury, nonetheless earned a berth into the divisional.
East Union heavyweight Devon Woodall closed out the championships with his title match against Weston Ranch’s Sterling Owens. The two put together an epic heavyweight battle, with Woodall edging Owens by a pair of 1-point stalling calls in a 3-2 win.
“My goal this time was to be more aggressive with him because last time I let it slip away,” Woodall said of the pair’s previous meeting in league. “He beat me 2-1 and I made a stupid mistake that I shouldn’t have made.
“Now I’m trying to take divisonals and get to Masters trying to make it to state.”
The Lancers will send four wrestlers to divisionals, while Manteca high will be sending five. Lathrop High was unable to land a championship match, but that did not stop the Spartans from sending nine wrestlers to divisionals and another four alternates.
“I think it says a lot about our program,” Lathrop head coach Dimos Birakos said. “I am proud of these guys, we peaked at the right time and this is the best lineup we’ve had all year. I have been pushing them every day. From Nov. 7th until now they haven’t had an easy day. So it’s not going to start now.
“If we placed in the VOL we have a chance to place in divisionals.”
Divisionals will kick off Friday at Union Mine High in El Dorado.
Only a pair of area wrestlers were able to walk away from the league championships with a title, as the Oakdale High program was in full force, participating in 13 of the 14 championships and winning 10. Weston Ranch’s Daniel Garcia was victorious in the 140-pound title match and Sierra High’s Jose Cortez took down the 160-pound title.
Garcia was dominant in his match from the onset, finishing with a 7-3 decision over Tyler Malone of Oakdale. Garcia will be one of 10 Cougars advancing, with another two earning alternate status.
“I had a feeling coming into this tournament that he would win it,” Weston Ranch head coach Pat King said. “He is wrestling well at the right time. He has been wrestling up all year; he’s been at 152s and 145s and he’s finally coming back to where he belongs and where he’s comfortable at 140s.
“He’s wrestling strong, so hopefully he can have another good tournament next weekend.”
Cortez was in arguably the tournament’s most exciting match when he tangled with Miko Arpoika of Oakdale. Cortez and Arpoika were tied 2-2 into the final round when Cortez was able to put together a 2-point takedown to post the win.
“That was a huge win for Cortez right there,” Sierra head coach Alex Nuanez said. “He came in as the No. 2 seed and didn’t get the respect that he deserved, so he came in and earned his respect today.”
Sierra’s Aidan Foster was unable to pull out the 152-pound title, falling to Oakdale nemesis Dustin Harris. Harris took care of Foster with ease in a previous meeting this season, giving the Sierra standout reason to attack the championship match with a different game plan.
“Aidan worked a lot harder in this match,” Nuanez said. “We actually really studied Dustin (Harris) this week because last time they wrestled he got tech’d.We worked on what we could do with Dustin, and it worked out fine , but he made one little mistake and he got caught.”
Manteca High’s Charlie Alvitre missed out on the 103-pound title after getting to the championship with an 11-2 major decision over East Union’s Sarah Phillips. Alvitre was followed in defeat by Weston Ranch’s Daniel Guzman who dropped his 112-pound championship to Garrett Furtado of Oakdale.
Fellow Cougar Joe Anthony Gomez came up short in his championship quest against Tanner Feuerstine 14-2. Weston Ranch’s Donnell Simms could not participate in his 189-pound championship due to injury, nonetheless earned a berth into the divisional.
East Union heavyweight Devon Woodall closed out the championships with his title match against Weston Ranch’s Sterling Owens. The two put together an epic heavyweight battle, with Woodall edging Owens by a pair of 1-point stalling calls in a 3-2 win.
“My goal this time was to be more aggressive with him because last time I let it slip away,” Woodall said of the pair’s previous meeting in league. “He beat me 2-1 and I made a stupid mistake that I shouldn’t have made.
“Now I’m trying to take divisonals and get to Masters trying to make it to state.”
The Lancers will send four wrestlers to divisionals, while Manteca high will be sending five. Lathrop High was unable to land a championship match, but that did not stop the Spartans from sending nine wrestlers to divisionals and another four alternates.
“I think it says a lot about our program,” Lathrop head coach Dimos Birakos said. “I am proud of these guys, we peaked at the right time and this is the best lineup we’ve had all year. I have been pushing them every day. From Nov. 7th until now they haven’t had an easy day. So it’s not going to start now.
“If we placed in the VOL we have a chance to place in divisionals.”
Divisionals will kick off Friday at Union Mine High in El Dorado.
