Articles
Clovis wrestlers redefine dominance on the mat
Article by: Nick Giannandrea, The Fresno Bee
For more coverage of high school wrestling by The Fresno Bee, go to http://www.fresnobee.com/high-school-sports/
BAKERSFIELD — Clovis High is running out of records to break at the CIF State Wrestling Championships.
Behind individual champions Daniel Gaytan and Zach Nevills, the Cougars concluded two days of brilliant wrestling Saturday at Rabobank Arena by setting the all-time scoring mark at 256.5 points and crowning the most medalists (10) in the 40-year history of the event.
Clovis finished a whopping 127 points ahead of second-place Bakersfield and had eclipsed the Drillers’ 2002 team scoring mark of 226.5 before the third- through eighth-place medal matches started.
It’s the Cougars’ second straight state title and 10th overall, extending their own record. Bakersfield held the old record for total medalists with nine in 2002.
In addition to their champions, the Cougars saw Julian Gaytan (sixth at 106), Jonas Gaytan (second, 113), Vicente Hernandez (eighth at 126), Jason Ladd (fifth at 138), Adrian Salas (fourth at 160), Ryan Davies (third at 182), Dakota Gordon (second, 195) and Nick Nevills (third at 285) earn medals.
Julian Gaytan, Daniel Gaytan, Hernandez, Ladd, Zach Nevills, Davies and Gordon all outperformed their state ranking heading into the tournament.
“What Bakersfield did [in 2002] seemed unattainable,” Clovis coach Steve Tirapelle said. “But we had what I’d call a Disneyland weekend. The kids wrestled hard and to their abilities, and in some cases over their ability. It was pretty special.”
Daniel Gaytan became the Cougars’ 24th state champion, upsetting top-ranked Hermilo Esquivel of Orland 3-2 in the final for his second straight title.
Gaytan, the champ at 119 last season and a four-time state medalist, scored a takedown in the final 1:03 for the match-winning points. He had lost to Esquivel 10-9 at the Zinkin Classic.
“This means the world to me,” Gaytan said. “I’ve worked my entire life for this. I learned from my past experience [against Esquivel]. I just corrected some things, and it came out well.”
Zach Nevills also joined the list of 25 previous four-time medalists by capturing his first title, a 7-5 decision over rival Silas Nacita of Bakersfield, the wrestler he entered 3-3 against over the past two years.
“There’s no feeling to describe this,” Nevills said. “I’ve been working for this match all season. Silas is a great competitor. We’ve battled all year.”
Clovis was extremely close to having four individual champions as Jonas Gaytan, who entered top-ranked in the state, lost an early 2-1 lead during a 5-4 loss to Live Oak’s Isaiah Locsin at 113, while Gordon fell 3-1 to Oak Hills’ top-ranked Robert Marchese on a takedown with 5 seconds left in overtime at 195.
The Cougars went a collective 56-21 on the weekend with bonus points in 30 matches, including 27 falls.
Even Clovis’ wrestlers who didn’t place — Matt Gay (132), Colby Thompson (152) and Matt Weiss (220) all contributed at least six points to the record.
“This record was about pushing to get the most out of themselves,” assistant Adam Tirapelle said. “Being a champion is getting as high as you can.”
Davies put Clovis over the top with his 2-0 win over Ripon’s Trevor Smith in the consolation semifinals. Every point the Cougars scored from there was gravy.
“We had guys pulling through and beating guys that on paper we had a disadvantage against,” Davies said. “Great stuff happened all around. What’s really special isn’t the record, but the effort everyone put in to get it.”
For more coverage of high school wrestling by The Fresno Bee, go to http://www.fresnobee.com/high-school-sports/
Episode 34 of The MatBoss Podcast is with four-time All-American and three-time NCAA Division I finalist Gerry Abas of Fresno State. Gerry Abas talks about his start in wrestling in the Bay Area and how his speed, quickness and flash on the wrestling mat had its foundations in break dancing in the 1980s.
He also talks about his classic match and loss to Iowa’s Lincoln McIlravy, coaching his younger brother Stephen at Fresno State, watching the school drop the program and his feelings about it at the time. Abas also speaks about his son Jaden and what we can expect from him on the next level.
Stephen Abas
Stephen Abas, 2008 Olympic silver medalist and three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion at Fresno State, has been named head wrestling coach at Fresno High School.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Abas to Fresno Unified, knowing that he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with our Fresno High student-athletes,” said Fresno Unified Superintendent Bob Nelson.
The statement said Abas would take the helm of the Warriors wrestling program at Fresno High immediately.
As a wrestler at Fresno State University, Abas was a four-time NCAA All-American, winning three NCAA titles at 125 pounds in 1999, 2001, and 2002. Abas tallied a 144-4 overall record for the Bulldogs, including 46 pins. Abas’ career winning percentage of 97.3 percent is also a school record. For all these accomplishments, Abas was named the Fresno State Male Athlete of the Year in 1999 and 2001.
Stephen in high school (Canyon Springs HS & James Logan HS) was a 3X CIF state champion and a NHSCA National Champion in 1996.
Stephen Abas – Fresno State, 3X NCAA National Champion
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Registration/Workout 3:00 – 8:00 pm
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Round 1 Girls Championship Round 1 9:00 am – 11:30 am (10 mats)
Round 2 Girls Championship Round 2 11:30 am – 1:00 pm (10 mats)
Round 1 Boys Championship Pig Tail 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm (10 mats)
Round 2 Boys Championship Round 1 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm (10 mats)
Round 3 Boys Championship Round 2 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm (10 mats)
Round 4 Boys Consolation Pig Tails 7:30 pm – 8:45 pm (10 mats)
Friday, February 22, 2019
Round 5/3 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 1 9:00 – 12:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 6/4 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 2 12:00 – 3:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 7/5 Boys/Girls Quarterfinals/Consolation Round 3 3:00 – 6:00 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 8/6 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 4 6:00 – 7:30 pm (10/5 mats)
Round 9/7 Boys/Girls Consolation Round 5 7:30 – 8:30 pm (10/5 mats)
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Round 8/10 Girls/Boys Championship Semi-Finals 9:00 – 10:30 am (6 mats)
Round 8/11 Girls/Boys Consolation Semi’s 10:30 – 12:00 pm (6/3 mats)
Round 10/12 Girls/Boys 3rd/5th/7th Places 12:00 -2:00 pm (6/3 mats)
Final Round Championship Finals 5:05 pm (2 mats)
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