The must-do was laid out in front of the Live Oak wrestling team prior to its appearance at the Blossom Valley Athletic League championships: Outscore Overfelt – one of the two other teams (Oak Grove) the Acorns shared first place with at the conclusion of the regular season dual slate.
Jonathan Robles-Rials, Isaiah Locsin and Tyler Pederson secured individual league titles, however the Acorns’ hopes of winning their third consecutive crown in a third different division were dashed Saturday night at Branham High School in San Jose.
The Royals compiled 193.5 points to run away with the tournament championship and the Mount Hamilton Division title Live Oak so coveted.
The Acorns finished fourth overall with 101 points, Santa Teresa placed second (132 points) and Del Mar took third (107.)
“The goal was to beat Overfelt, obviously, but we knew that was going to be a big mountain to climb. They’ve got such depth top to bottom. I think they placed each of their guys at every weight, which didn’t help our cause at all,” Live Oak coach Robert Fernandez said. “We finished ahead of Oak Grove, and there is some satisfaction in that. We placed second in our league.”
The Acorns edged the Eagles by four points to earn the school’s best finish at the 24-team finale. Live Oak placed seventh a year ago.
“It’s definitely a meet grinder,” Fernandez said of the tournament. “I think our team did really well. We had some high expectations for the kids. We didn’t meet all the goals that we set our for, but they still went our there and competed.”
As for the three league champions, they will now prepare for the Central Coast Section championship meet set for Friday and Saturday at Independence High School in San Jose.
Robles-Rials pinned Alvin Nguyen of Silver Creek early in the third period of Saturday’s 108-pound final. Robles-Rials, who found out Sunday he will be the fourth seed in the 106-pound division for the CCS tournament, pinned all three of his opponents en route to the league title. Locsin, ranked No. 1 in CCS, No. 2 in the state and a favorite to capture a state championship, pinned Overfelt’s Alexis Arciga late in the first period of their 115-pound showdown. Locsin’s two other victories Saturday came via fall in a combined 76 seconds.
“There is nobody that can stop Isaiah right now,” Fernandez said. “It’s a fun ride.”
The sophomore, who finished runner-up at state in 2011, is 35-0 on the season. He will be the section’s No. 1-seed in the 113-pound division come next weekend.
Pederson, a senior, made the most of his final BVAL appearance and took out Gabe Mendoza of Lincoln by major decision, 15-2, in the 140-pound division.
“Tyler is one of those kids who keeps working. So he could surprise some people (at CCS),” Fernandez said.
Sobrato placed eighth and will send four to the CCS meet at Independence High. Zach Zhang took second at 147 pounds, Evan Enright placed third (162 pounds), Thomas Burback (140) and Bryan Gomes third (128).
