Fresno City has used great depth in their lineup to wear down all competitors, while in turn getting stronger as the campaign nears its end. At last week's North Regionals, Fresno had an astounding nine finalists and crowned seven champions. The championship trophy is within their sight, but in the desert you need to guard against chasing a mirage.
The 125 weight class should provide plenty of fireworks. Estevan Cabanas of Cerritos was the dominant wrestler, until losing a close match to Fresno's Chris Padilla at the State Dual Championship. A rematch is possible in the semifinals. Padilla's second place finish at regionals placed him and Cabanas on the same side. The bottom half of the bracket features Delta's David Sok and West Hills' A. J. Jaramillo. Shasta's Gonzalez and Santa Rosa's Pilgrim should provide a strong test for the contenders.
Fresno City's Tigran Adzhemyan lifts Cerritos' Eric Sauvageau at the State Dual Championship (Photo/John Sachs)Any journey through the desert is full of danger and surprise. Deadly snakes and poisonous spiders lurk at every turn. The finalists at 141 will have to be at their most vigilant from the first whistle. This weight class should provide the tournament's most competitive quarter finals.
Strength and speed are the hallmarks of the 149 weight class. The strength and size of Sierra's Marquez Ford, Sac City's Anthony Harris, and Santa Rosa's Wesley Young will be put to the test by the quickness and cunning of the likes of Fresno's Conrad Rangel, Mt. San Antonio's Chris Abeyta, and Victor Valley's Jimmy Arazia.
At 157 Eric Lopez of Victor Valley leads the way. Jake Shilling of Fresno is fresh off an impressive performance at the North Regionals. Sierra's Tyler Johnson, Mt. SAC's Taylor Sare, and Cody Bollinger of Cerritos will be strong contenders.
Early in the season 165 looked to be the toughest weight class in the State. Nothing has happened since to alter that view. The top four wrestlers should make safe passage to the oasis of the semi-finals, with Tigran Adzhemyan, Fresno City versus Dustin Rocha, West Hills and Eric Sauvageau, Cerritos meeting Vlad Dombrovskiy from Sierra.
Similar to the 149 weight class, 174 is loaded with talent. Sam Temko of Skyline College has dispatched all comers this year, but an injury default in the finals last week puts Sam on the same side as the South-1, A. J. Smith of Bakersfield. A deep field competes on the bottom half of the bracket, led by Fresno's Martin Fabbian.
Picture your hard working, blue collar, tough guys at 184. There are very few first period pins in this weight class. Grueling, hard fought seven-minute matches will be the norm. Regional winners Jesse Hellinger of Sac City and Sean Dougherty of Cuesta need to avoid the quicksand if they hope to survive to the finals.
At 197 the top four seeds should march through to the semifinals. Brad Carls, Bakersfield and Marco Delgado, Modesto should rendezvous on the top half of the bracket. Mario Delgado, Cerritos and Jordan Williams, Sierra are the highest seeds in the bottom half. Lucas Keene of Fresno City is capable of making some big noise and might benefit from a Fresno City sirocco.
If there is anything that can be considered a shoo-in it would be the heavyweight finalists. Jose Lopez of Cerritos and Luis Contreras of Fresno City have been on a collision course for the State Finals, but the beauty of heavyweight wrestling is its unpredictability.
The team title is Fresno City's to lose. The race for second and third should be spectacular. Sac City, Cerritos, and Sierra are favored; but Mt. SAC and West Hills will press hard to make themselves known.
Journeys that began in the late summer heat, now come to a dramatic conclusion in the California desert.
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