Local wrestlers set for Valley event

Now that six local wrestlers have made it through the “Meat Grinder,” the tendency could be to relax with the Valley Grand Masters Championships on Saturday at East High in Bakersfield not nearly being the same type of mine field.

But regardless of the fact that there’s no ignoring the math that the chances of advancing to the State Championships is significantly increased for wrestlers who make it through the Yosemite Divisionals, they still must make it through the Valley meet as well.

While only seven of 32 wrestlers in each weight division made it through the Yosemite meet, eight of the 11 wrestlers in the Valley meet will advance to state. Along with the top seven Yosemite wrestlers, the top four wrestlers from the Sequoia Divisionals are competing at Valley.

So for Porterville High’s Javier Jimenez (108 pounds), Mason Pengilly (115), Abel Contreras (122) and Martin Sandoval (132) and for Monache’s Matt Gamble (108) and Seth Hood (115), this is obviously no time to relax. Sure two wins, maybe even just one win, could be enough to reach the semifinals, which would clinch a top six finish and a state berth. But one slip up and the pressure is on.

“Everyone’s tough at Valley,” Porterville coach Tim Vanni said. “Every match is definitely going to be challenging.”

Jimenez looks to have the tougest road to state as he finished seventh in divisionals. But Vanni had this to say about all of his four wrestlers about making state, “I think all of the guys should make it, They’ve just got to wrestle.”

Pengilly, who placed fourth at state last year, is 35-1 this year and on a quest to win the state title. But every weight class at Valley will obviously be tough and Pengilly’s class is no different.

And then there’s Sandoval, who looks to be on course to an inevitable meeting with three-time state champion Alex Cisneros of Selma. “It would be nice to get by him, too,” Vanni said.

Vanni repeated the mantra of wrestling coaches all around at tough qualifying meets when he said, “You’ve got to beat somebody.”

And for Hood, who was impressive in finishing third in the Yosemite meet, if everything goes well, it appears a match for the fourth straight week against Pengilly in the semfinals is inevitable, even though Monache coach Arthur Demerath said, “I hate to see that.”
About Hood, who advanced to state last year, at the Yosemite meet, Demerarth said, “He did an outstanding job last week.”

The road won’t be easy, either, for Gamble, who will open with a wrestler from Selma he has beaten 7-4. With a win, Gamble should then face a wrestler from Clovis who he’s ranked ahead of but hasn’t wrestled.

About Gamble’s and Hood’s chances of going to state, Demerath said, “They both have great opportunities.”