OAKDALE — The four Valley Oak League champions from Manteca Unified schools made it safely to second day of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III Tournament hosted by Oakdale High.
After first-round byes Friday, East Union’s Jaysen Reindel (220) and Joel Melena (182) pinned their opponents to advance to the championship semifinals, which start at noon today. Manteca 170-pounder Tyler Welch also stuck his first opponent to move on.
Apollo Holmes of East Union, the VOL’s 195-pound champion, was pinned by Casa Robles’ Nathan Wells and will need to win two straight to make the third-place match. The top four placers in each weight division qualify for next week’s SJS Masters Meet.
There are 17 Manteca area wrestlers remaining in the Division III tourney.  Also in the championship semifinals are Sierra’s Branden Rullan (120) and East Union’s Jason Betlej (126) and Anthony Contreras (138). The Lancer tandem has formidable foes in front of them in Central Catholic siblings Steven and Danny Abbate. Danny is the section’s No. 1 ranked wrestler at 138, and Steven is third in 126.
Two consolation matches pit Sierra wrestlers against East Union. At 106, Sierra’s Jackson Rusconi takes on Joe Patton of East Union, while David Ketner (Sierra) and Alan Huerta (East Union) square off at 145. Manteca’s Jacob Welch also remains in contention at 145.
East Union’s Daniel Huerta and Ruben Gallegos are in the 152 and 160 consolation brackets, respectively. Manteca heavyweight Carlos Hernandez, Lathrop’s Keonnee Linnel (138) and Weston Ranch’s Marsalys Austin (220) round out the area’s Day 2 qualifiers.

Division V
ESCALON — Nine Ripon High wrestlers are still in the hunt for a berth to Masters.
Standout heavyweight Tristan Smith is joined by Donny Fontillas (113), Javier Hernandez (138) and Diego Moreno (160) in the championship-bracket semifinals.
Jordan Campa (106), Matt Fisher (120), Anthony Latno (126), Dyllan Heald (170) and Jacob Rhodes (195) are looking to stave off elimination this morning back at Escalon High. The top four-placers move onto Masters.

Girls Masters
STOCKTON — Lathrop resident and Venture Academy senior Aysia Cortez returns to McNair High this morning after a 2-0 start in Day 1. The SJS South Regional champion at 133 pounds will square off with Aly Sabbagh of Casa Robles in the championship semifinals.
Cortez’s day started with a forfeit win over Milani Brussard (Highlands). She got to break a sweat in the quarterfinals, as she pinned Vintage’s Cam Vo in 4:42.
Also qualifying for the Masters event were Cameele Randolph (Sierra) Karissa Kammen (Lathrop), Kim Vega (Lathrop), Karina Loya (Weston Ranch), Desiree Cruz Sampson (Ripon), Alayna Swilley (Ripon), Tori White (Ripon) and Mireya Garcia (Ripon).
The top-five placers in each weight class qualify for the state championships held Feb. 26-27 at Visalia Convention Center.