Bulldogs sending five to section finals
SAN JOSE — Considering many of the names on his varsity roster were different than the ones present earlier in the season, Sobrato wrestling coach Phil Luna was complacent with his team’s showing last weekend in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Finals.
The Bulldogs sent nine wrestlers to the event at Pioneer High School and came back with eight placers, including five who advanced to the CIF-Central Coast Section Tournament – Kyle Shelton (103 pounds), Joseph Redmond (119), Ryan Brewer (152), Jacob Maack (171) and Rafael Anaya (189).
Sobrato finished seventh as a team.
“We felt like we did pretty good,” Luna said. “Where we are, we’re happy with what we ended up with. We could have got in the top five based on the guys we lost to ineligibility. We could have done a lot better, but I’m happy.”
Also placing eighth in their weight classes for Sobrato were Pierce Lobban (140), Maycen Gillespie (145) and Gustavio Ramirez (heavyweight).
Brewer and Anaya were the Bulldogs’ top finishers, placing second and third, respectively. Maack took fifth, and Shelton and Joseph finished sixth.
“Ryan and (Anaya) both had the best tournaments by far,” Luna said. “Ryan wrestled the best I’ve seen him.”
Redmond failed to make his desired 112-pound level, but held his own at 119.
“It hurt him to not make weight,” Luna said. “He just doesn’t have the strength to battle day in and day out. He tried to lose it last week, but losing weight is a season-long thing. He just didn’t have it.”
Luna said Redmond and Brewer have an outside shot qualifying for state. Only the top four finishers will advance from this weekend’s section finals meet at Independence High School.
“If the brackets work out, and the seeding is good, (Redmond) can still qualify; Ryan the same way,” Luna said. “It just depends on how the brackets get done Friday.”
NOTES: With only nine wrestlers as well, Sobrato’s junior varsity team placed second at BVALs — seven points behind the champion, Overfelt.
“I’m really proud of those guys; really excited to see them on varsity next year,” Luna said. “If we didn’t have to move some of their guys up to varsity, they would have taken first.”
