LATHROP – When the Oakdale Mustangs packed up their bags and made their way back towards Oakdale, Lathrop and Manteca highs entangled in a more competitive Valley Oak League match, yet the Spartans were the superior program in a 50-26 win Wednesday.
Lathrop cruised to a relatively easy win, dominating the first seven matches, surrendering a pin in the 119-pound weight class. Luis Quintero, Luis Oregel, Berry Bautista and Christian Pena all posted victories, with Pena and Quintero posting pins.
“We have been wrestling good enough to win,” Lathrop head coach Dimos Birakos said. “It is getting us ready for a big match next week and a huge match following that.
“We can’t look past East Union, we have to stay focused on them.”
The Spartans looked like a definite contender in the shake-up of the VOL, handling the Buffaloes with ease in the lighter weight classes, and holding their own in the upper weights. Manteca found wins in the 189-pound match (Evan Sharp, decision), heavyweight (Dylan Law, decision) and in the 145-pound match when Casey Benson pinned Oscar Tapia.
Lathrop got a pin from Jay Butler in the 171-pound match, but suffered an overtime loss from Mike Goldberg when Law earned a one-point win in bonus time.
The Spartans will try and keep their success rolling when they host East Union Wednesday followed by a dual-match with Sierra and Weston Ranch.
“We are getting better,” Birakos said. “I expect us to go out an wrestle tough no matter who we are wrestling against. Sometimes, we wrestle to our opponent’s level and I don’t want to see that.
“They are going to have to be ready to go every match.”
Lathrop cruised to a relatively easy win, dominating the first seven matches, surrendering a pin in the 119-pound weight class. Luis Quintero, Luis Oregel, Berry Bautista and Christian Pena all posted victories, with Pena and Quintero posting pins.
“We have been wrestling good enough to win,” Lathrop head coach Dimos Birakos said. “It is getting us ready for a big match next week and a huge match following that.
“We can’t look past East Union, we have to stay focused on them.”
The Spartans looked like a definite contender in the shake-up of the VOL, handling the Buffaloes with ease in the lighter weight classes, and holding their own in the upper weights. Manteca found wins in the 189-pound match (Evan Sharp, decision), heavyweight (Dylan Law, decision) and in the 145-pound match when Casey Benson pinned Oscar Tapia.
Lathrop got a pin from Jay Butler in the 171-pound match, but suffered an overtime loss from Mike Goldberg when Law earned a one-point win in bonus time.
The Spartans will try and keep their success rolling when they host East Union Wednesday followed by a dual-match with Sierra and Weston Ranch.
“We are getting better,” Birakos said. “I expect us to go out an wrestle tough no matter who we are wrestling against. Sometimes, we wrestle to our opponent’s level and I don’t want to see that.
“They are going to have to be ready to go every match.”
