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Nikko Villarreal upsets #1 Alex Cisneros
BAKERSFIELD — Gilroy High sophomore Nikko Villarreal pulled off one of the biggest shockers in the history of the California Interscholastic Federation state wrestling championship Saturday night.
Trailing 3-0 with about five seconds remaining, he yanked down three-time champion Alex Cisneros of Selma for a two-point takedown. He then turned him toward his back for a three-point near-fall and a stunning 5-3 victory.
The crowd at Rabobank Arena erupted.
The night was set up to be a coronation for Cisneros, vying to become the second person to go 4 for 4 in the state finals.
Instead, Villarreal dethroned the king.
“He found the will to win and went for it,” Gilroy coach Greg Varela said of Villarreal, a phenom who placed third last year.
Isaiah Locsin at the state finals
Isaiah Locsin of Live Oak added an exclamation point to his unbeaten season with a 5-4 win over Jonas Gaytan, one of four Clovis’ competitors in the finals. The sophomore Locsin (51-0) finished second in 2011.
Gilroy senior Willie Fox, a four-time Central Coast Section finalist, won the state championship at 145 pounds with an 8-1 decision over De La Salle’s Alex Abono.
Gilroy’s Paul Fox, a sophomore and Willie’s younger brother, lost to St. John Bosco-Bellflower freshman Anthony Valencia in the 126 championship match by fall in 5 minutes, 43 seconds.
Earlier Saturday, Gilroy nailed down three spots in the championship round in rapid fashion.
Fox (126) got things rolling with a 3-1 win over Southern Section runner-up Joshua Rodrigues of Righetti-Santa Maria.
Then Villarreal (132) rallied to stun Javier Gasca of Kingsburg, winning by fall at 5:52 as the Mustangs supporters erupted.
Willie Fox (145) kept the roll going with a 4-2 win over Brian Salinas of Northview-Covina.
Resilient St. Francis senior Jorge Barajas (152) rebounded from a loss in the quarterfinals on Friday night and went 3-1 in consolation action and wound up fourth.
Bellarmine Prep’s Danny Chaid recovered from a tough loss to Khymba Johnson of Center-Antelope in the quarterfinals and reeled four straight wins to place third at 220 pounds. He even avenged the defeat to Johnson with a 4-0 decision in the third-place match.
Barajas is the seventh wrestler to win four CCS titles. He won previous titles at 145, 130 and 119 pounds, moving up in weight each year.
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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State Rankings2 weeks agoCalGrappler California High School Wrestling Team Rankings
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State Rankings2 weeks agoCalGrappler California High School Wrestling Rankings – 106 lbs.
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State Rankings2 weeks agoCalGrappler California High School Wrestling Rankings – 126 lbs.
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State Rankings2 weeks agoCalGrappler California High School Wrestling Rankings – 120 lbs.
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State Rankings2 weeks agoCalGrappler California High School Wrestling Rankings – 113 lbs.
