| 2008-09 DRL WRESTLING SCHEDULE |
03.06-03.07.2009 - CIF State Finals, Bakersfield
California State Wrestling Championships 2009
Visit Our Live Blog
 AT JOURNEY'S END
By D Navarro Sr
DRL Sports
There is a quote from Shakespeare's Troilus and Cressida, Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing." As the 2009 high school wrestling season closes, it's a quote of some significance; and applicable to all who competed in the world's oldest and toughest sport, win or lose.
To the two Del Rio League medalists at State, Matt Melendrez of California High School and Nikolai Crouch of Santa Fe High School, and to the coaches and teammates who helped them get there... CONGRATULATIONS! To all the others, who fought the good fight, there can no be greater reward in life than from participation. And, to all DRL coaches who guided these warriors on their journey, you have set the tone for their participation in the greater good of mankind. Thank you and keep up the good work.
DRL Wrestling Interactive Discussions
|
DRL Sports Wrestling News
Five Chiefs Bow Out At State
Niko & CalHi's Melendrez Still in Hunt
The Del Rio League's "Magnificent Seven" has been pared down to two; but those two are making waves at Rabobank Arena. Both Santa Fe's Niko Crouch, 189 lbs and California's Matt Melendrez, 145 wrestled their way into the final four. Their semi-finals births assures the two seniors medalist status.
Both Melendrez and Crouch finished first at CIF Coastal Sectionals and second at Southern Section Masters enroute to the State Finals. Both have been magnificent in victory. Both still have allot of work ahead of them.
Melendrez started the day with a fall at 3:21 over Scotts Valley's Bassel Lufti, the runner-up at Central Coast Section Masters. He followed that win with a 14-2 major decision over Sac-Joaquin Masters Champion, Jordan Hart of Folsom High School. Undaunted by facing Sectional Champions, Melendrez moved into the Semi-Finals with a fall at the 3:12 mark over Northern Section Champion, Desmond Rios of Pleasant Valley. Matt's biggest test comes in day two as he takes on #1 State ranked Scott Sakaguchi of Clovis, who stands between Melendrez and a finals match.
Further up the weight chart, at 189 lbs, Nikolai Crouch opened with a fall at 5:13 over Freedom High School's Justin Baffico. The win set the #6 ranked Crouch up with a showdown against the State's #2 ranked Ryan Loder of Granite Bay. Crouch emerged the victor with a 6-5 decision, vaulting him into the Quarter Finals with deserved new respect from wrestlers and fans. Out of appreciation, or just excessive adrenaline... or because he's that good, Crouch disposed of Hanford West's Nick Corona-Zamarripa by a 15-0 tech fall. Standing between Crouch and a finals birth is unranked upstart, Jesus Chavez (SJ5) of River Valley, who knocked off #3 ranked Tommy Burriel of Clovis.
Of the other five, Santa Fe's 103 lb Freshman, Kioni Villalobos went the furthest, falling two matches short of the medal rounds. Villalobos lost his opener and then came back strong in wrestle backs with three solid wins to finish 3-2.
At 125 lbs, the Chiefs other freshman, Joey Davis, looked as if he was going to make allot of noise; taking a first round 3-2 decision and second round 19-4 tech fall into the sweet sixteen before being pinned at 4:54 by David Ferry of the Sac-J's Central Catholic. Davis then promptly dropped his first consolation match, 5-1 to Nick Mazza of Riordan. Davis finished 2-2.
Junior, Richard Rios (1-2) lost his opener, followed by a win and another lost to cut his trip short; as did Dimitri Crouch (1-2) at 135 lbs. Justin Irribarren, 152 lbs, was the lone DRL wrestler without a win, dropping both his opener and first round consolation to go two and out.
On the bright side, for those who didn't make it through, is they will all be back next year. Santa Fe, which appears headed toward a top twenty finish in the State looks poised to continue their dominance in 2009-10.
Have a comment? Email DRL Sports News.
|
|
