CalGrappler Team & Wrestler of the Week 2/25
Team: Chico High School
chicoer.com
By DAVE DAVIES-Sports Editor
Posted: 02/24/2013 01:43:24 AM PST
Behind six finalist and three champions in Morgan Sauseda (106 Pounds), Cordero Rios (160 Pounds) and Sam Miller (182 Pounds) Chico High won the Northern Section Master tournament. Even before the finals started Saturday night at the Northern Section Masters Wrestling Championships, it was already a foregone conclusion that Chico High would take home the team title. Head coach Keith Rollins’ Panthers put six wrestlers in the finals for the championships, and with a 32-point lead over second-place Sutter, all Chico had to do was compete and the Panthers ended up with 12 of their 14 wrestlers at the tournament placing in the top six. Chico High ended up winning their third championship in five years, snapping Orland’s two-year reign with 219.5 points. The top-seeded Sauseda got things rolling for the Panthers in the first final of the night, getting a 2-point reversal early in the second round on Orland junior Hugo Punzo, the No. 2 seed. Sauseda gave up a penalty point for stalling with 15 seconds left in the match, and hung on for a 2-1 victory and his second straight berth in the CIF state championships, set for next weekend in Bakersfield. He improved his season record to 35-7. Rios, also a No. 1 seed and returning state qualifier, used a pair of takedowns and some stout defense to beat Durham junior Jake Wiley 5-0 for his title. Rios is now 33-8 this year. Miller took his No. 1 seed against No. 3 seed Dylan Hill, a senior from Orland. He nailed a double-leg takedown with :35 seconds left to secure a 6-3 decision. Read the whole article here: Link
Congratulations to Chico High for being the Calgrappler.com team of the week.
Anthony Valencia – St. John Bosco HS
Individual: Anthony Valencia
Anthony Valencia is a great student of the sport and ambassador of why cutting weight doesn’t necessarily guarantee you success. Last season he was one of the best incoming freshman in the state as well as the nation. As a 126 pounder last season, he won the state title with a pin in the finals. This season, up three weight classes, he won the Southern Section Masters meet with a 10-3 victory over national ranked opponent and number 1 wrestler in the state, Christian Pagdilao from Santiago-Corona High. “I’m a little more confident at 145 pounds (since moving up) because these guys are stronger, but I started lifting hard and I’m stronger and excited to reach the finish line next week in state,” Valencia said. This weekend he will face Anthony Caito from Gregori High in the first round at the state meet. Congratulations to Anthony Valencia for being the Calgrappler.com wrestler of the week.
