67-team tourney begins today
GILROY — Summing up the Mid Cal Tournament was easy for Sobrato wrestling coach Phil Luna.
“If you place there, you’ll place at CCS,” Luna said Thursday.
The Bulldogs will send a dozen to the premiere tournament, which has been held at Gilroy High School since its inception in the 1980s. Sixty-seven teams will be on hand from across California, including some of the top programs like Selma, Saint Francis and Turlock.
Gilroy won the tournament by record score last year; part of three consecutive Mid Cal titles for the Mustangs.
“Mid Cals is one of the last super tournaments of the year,” said Luna, now in his third year at Sobrato. “And it’s one of the toughest.”
Representing the Bulldogs will be Kyle Shelton (105 pounds), Joseph Redmond (119), Drew Johnson (125), Nik Crawley (130), Pierce Lobban (140), Maycen Gillespie (145), Ryan Brewer (152), Daniel Canoy (160), Jacob Maack (171), Rafael Anaya (189), Aaron Ryan (215) and heavyweight Gustavio Ramirez.
“We’re hoping for a good finish. Maybe one or two guys can place in this tournament for our team,” Luna said. “The rest of our team, we want them to wrestle tough.”
Redmond, who’s had trouble cutting down to 114 pounds, will have added incentive to go far in the 125-pound bracket. He has lost to two of the four wrestlers seeded — including Andrew Hill’s Richard Thompson who beat Redmond in the decisive match of a dual last week. Andrew Hill won 42-36, handing Sobrato its only loss thus far in Blossom Valley Athletic League-Santa Teresa Division competition.
“Redmond had (Richardson) pinned on his back,” Luna said. “Even the other coach was like, ‘We got lucky.’ Joseph ended up losing 9-8. If Joseph won, we would have at least tied.
“Wrestling Richardson will give him a chance to get even. There will be no surprises.”
Heading into Thursday’s bout with Independence, the Bulldogs (2-1 BVAL) were second in the division behind Andrew Hill and Piedmont Hills. Sobrato can still win at least a share of the program’s first league championship if Piedmont Hills beats Andrew Hill and the Bulldogs win out. Sobrato and Piedmont Hills will square off in their regular-season finale Feb. 11 in San Jose.
“That’s what it’s going to come down to, hopefully,” Luna said.
