Morgan Hill – The Sobrato wrestling team continues to grow, more than doubling in size from last year’s squad.
In just its third season, the Bulldogs have 38 wrestlers trying out, up from 17 last year.
Freshman turned out the most, adding 10 additional members to the team. There are also five new sophomores, four new juniors and three new seniors.
On top of the influx of new wrestlers, Sobrato also is home to the Central Coast Section No. 1 ranked heavyweight Genaro Redmond.
Last year, Redmond won the CCS heavyweight championship.
Redmond is joined by Moses Guillardo, who is ranked No. 2 in the 125-pound class.
Also returning is Victor Gillespe, last year’s Tri-County Athletic League 171-pound champion.
Coach Phil Luna credits the turnout to the success from last year’s season.
Luna said so far practice has been going at a slower pace to accommodate the new wrestlers.
“(The returners) understand that we have to go a little slower at the beginning,” Luna said. “We don’t separate the JV from the varsity. We go a little slower for the first few weeks to get the basic system down.”
Luna said that starting this week, he will begin introducing new concepts to the squad.
“We are going to be showing them more advanced moves,” Luna said.
The only exceptions to the slow down are Redmond and Guillardo who have been practicing with the assistant coaches the past couple of weeks to get them ready for the season.
Luna said the biggest thing he is having to teach the new members of the squad is it needs to not rush things on the mat, to just let opportunities to develop.
“We are working on getting them to slow down and telling them the moves will come, it takes time to set up,” Luna said.
Despite the youth, Luna said Sobrato is ranked No. 15 in the section.
“We are supposed to be No. 15, we’ll see what happens,” Luna said.
He added that the team will do well so long as it tries.
“If we work, it will be a good year,” Luna said. “If we slack off, we are going to get out butts kicked.”
Sobrato’s junior varsity squad will see the first action, competing in the Bulldog Challenge on Friday.
Luna said 16 teams are expected to turn out, including Sobrato, Leigh, Los Gatos, Bellarmine and Gilroy.
He said he wants his junior varsity team to get some extra experience heading into the season.
The varsity squad will hit the mat on Dec. 6 when it takes on Archbishop Mitty on the road.
