The Live Oak wrestling team had a strong finish in the
Tri-County Athletic League finals to place fifth and send six
wrestlers to the Central Coast Section finals next week at
Independence High School.
HOLLISTER -– The Live Oak wrestling team had a strong finish in the Tri-County Athletic League finals to place fifth and send six wrestlers to the Central Coast Section finals next week at Independence High School.
Gilroy took first with a score of 181.5. Hollister (135), Palma (128.5) and Salinas (76) placed second, third and fourth respectively. Live Oak finished with 63 points, and North Salinas closed off the scoring at 56.
“Having teams like Gilroy and Hollister in our league will only make us better,” said Live Oak coach Ron Nichols. “I was real encouraged by what I saw. CCS is the best of the best.”
“We will have to have to have a lot of everything going on – it will take a little luck, and everyone has to be on,” Nichols added. “You can’t have an off day.”
Matt Henderson and Mike Gamez are the two wrestlers who have the best shot in CCS, Nichols said.
Henderson, a senior who has only lost six matches all year, placed second, losing to Gilroy’s 147-pounder in the finals.
Heavyweight Gamez lost to Hollister in the finals and also finished in second place.
Other results: 105 – Hondo Dominguez placed third; 127 – first-year wrestler Ishmael Malisclan placed fourth; 171- Chris Horner went up against No. 1 seed Mark Zaballa and lost before ending up taking fourth; 189 – first-year wrestler Bryan Smith wrestled up a weight division and placed fourth.
Both Dan Benevento (152s) and Dan Wahl (160s) weren’t able to qualify to go on to the playoffs.
