Live Oak senior wins first match at 152 pounds, then loses next
two
BAKERSFIELD — For Live Oak wrestling, a memorable season was in the books long before Steven Fernandez took the mat Friday in the CIF State Championships in Bakersfield.
The Acorns’ senior captain added one more victory to it.
Fernandez won his opener at 152 pounds in Rabobank Arena, beating San Fernando senior Anthony Uribe 6-4 in overtime, before dropping his second match to junior Adam Fierro of Bakersfield and an elimination bout to Bloomington junior Juan Alvardo.
Fernandez ended his final prep season with 34 wins and seven losses, a fourth-place finish at the Central Coast Section Championships and a Blossom Valley Athletic League title.
“The first thing we talked about after his final match was how strong the other guy was. He was just better,” Live Oak sixth-year coach Robert Fernandez, Steven’s father, said Monday. “Steven was abnormally quiet afterward. It kind of sunk in that it was his last match, but there’s no shame in going out like that.”
Fernandez dislocated two fingers against Uribe but mustered a match-ending takedown in the extra period. Fernandez then lost 13-2 to Fierro, who’s ranked sixth in the state, and fell 7-0 to Alvardo in the consolation bracket.
The Fernandezes originally thought Steven broke his hand.
“I think it affected him, but that’s not to take anything away from Steven’s last two matches,” his coach said.
The Acorns took plenty away from this winter. They won their first league championship in 29 years and produced their first state qualifier since 2002.
The 2009-10 season is one to remember for Live Oak wrestler.
“I’m hoping 2011 is just as memorable,” Robert Fernandez said.
Steven Fernandez went right back to work this week, training for the upcoming season of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.
