Article - CIF Sac-Joaquin

Nine Folsom High wrestlers, eight boys and one girl, will compete this weekend at the CIF State Wrestling Championships. The nine qualifies equal the record Folsom set last season of sending nine wrestlers to the state tournament. Every state qualifier improved their performance at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament from last season. Also, as a team, Folsom improved on last year’s third-place finish at the Masters meet, by placing second, equaling their finish in 2013 and 2014. The Bulldogs finished second to Pitman this year, 231-225.5. Highlights for the Bulldogs included two Masters champions and two runners-up, tying a team record for most Masters' finalists. Orion Hill (132) and Ryland Smith (150) both entered the tournament ranked first in the section and both went 5-0 to win their bracket. Hill was dominant, as he pinned all five of his opponents, including Jesse Meza of Oakdale in the finals, a three-time state qualifier. “My goal is to become a champion and make the podium,” Hill said. “It will take hard work and consistency to achieve this goal. Having confidence going into each match; having belief that you belong there is also an important factor. “I’ve learned that you should wrestle each match expecting the best competition. This factor helps me wrestle to the best of my abilities.” Smith started off the tournament with three pins before beating Union Mine’s returning state qualifier, Brock Buak, in the semis, 2-1. In the finals against Elk Grove’s Paul Johnson, Smith scored a 7-3 win. “My goals for state are to place in the top-12 or even top-eight,” Smith said. “I just want to do the best I can. It’s going to take hard work and having a good mindset. I also learned from state last year to be mentally and physically prepared.” Folsom’s two finalists who finished in second place were Mas Hatano (106) and Kai Yi-Berg (126). Hatano breezed to the finals with three technical falls and a pin before facing a familiar foe, Nathanial Granados of Merced, who had beaten Hatano in the semifinals at Masters last year and then again in the match before placing at state. In a low-scoring match, Granados was able to score a takedown in the final 10 seconds left in overtime to win the match. “My goal for state is to place,” Hatano said. “I think it will take some luck. I learned at state that anything can happen and anyone can get upset.” Yi-Berg had the toughest and most impressive run. He began the tournament with two pins, but in the quarterfinals, Yi-Berg reinjured his right knee and was barely able to finish the match, which he managed to win, 2-1. “I dislocated my knee,” Yi-Berg said. “I was worried I wouldn’t be able to continue or even make weight since it’s really hard to cut when I can’t use my leg. The next day my leg was in pain, but I tried to wrestle smart.” Yi-Berg needed to win one more match to make it to state. After making weight, Yi-Berg’s knee was wrapped and taped before he faced Elk Grove’s Jovani Sandoval, who he beat in triple overtime last week. With odds stacked against him, Yi-Berg threw Sandoval to his back and continued to pile up points, gutting out a 14-1 decision to punch his ticket to the state meet for the first time. “It was an inspiration to our entire team,” Folsom coach Mike Collier said. “Kai showed his mental toughness in the face of big adversity.” Yi-Berg injury defaulted his last match and finished in second place. “My knee is still messed up, so I’m going to wrestle at state the best I can and finish off my season strong,” Yi-Berg said. Folsom had three other wrestlers reach the consolation finals, as Anthony Cruz (120) and Matt Loftis (144) placed third, and Nicholas Spotswood (138) placed fourth. Cruz picked up two wins before losing to Elijah Almarinez of Vacaville. He then had to beat a wrestler from Oakdale in overtime to advance. Cruz then won his next three matches by tech fall, a pin and then a 10-0 win to place third. Loftis (144) won his first three matches by two tech falls and then a pin, before losing to Vacaville’s Ryan Espiritu. Loftis got a two-point near fall just before the clock ran out for the win. However, the referee changed his mind after talking with the opposing coaches and awarded Loftis’ opponent the win. Then after talking to the second referee as well as the scorer’s table, gave the match back to Loftis, as he secured his berth to the state tournament. Loftis then pinned Kolin De La Fuente of River Valley for the second time in the tournament to place third. Spotswood (138) lost his second match of the tournament, making it a long road to qualify through the consolation bracket. Spotswood earned three straight pins before a late decision to put him one win away from qualifying for the state tournament. He’d need to beat the wrestler he lost to earlier, however, to get it done. Spotswood won the match, 5-3, with some late back points. Spotswood lost his last match for third place. Folsom’s final qualifier was Kayden Hoang (165), who pinned Vacaville’s James Corbett in his last match to qualify. Folsom’s Ken Fernandez (113) placed seventh, but missed qualifying for state by two places. Preston McAninch (157) suffered a first-round loss and came all the way through the consolation bracket before losing the match before qualifying in overtime. Folsom’s three upperweights all picked up a win before being eliminated: Nathan Urbani (175), Chid Mmagu (190) and Conner Stoneman (215). On the girls’ side, Folsom had four wrestlers qualify and each won at least one match. The team’s lone state qualifier was Pia Hill (100) who placed third. Hill, a freshman, opened the tournament with a pair of technical falls before losing 12-6 in the semifinals to Lily Dizon of Pitman, a state finalist last season. Hill rebounded to win her next two matches, 8-1 and 7-3, to place third in her first year wrestling at the high school level. Annika Scott placed sixth, missing the state tournament by one spot. Both Jalissa Lopez (105) and Peyton Ollinger (125) earned wins before bowing out of the tournament.

Folsom sends nine athletes to state wrestling tournament