Orange Belt wrestlers earn mixed results at state

BAKERSFIELD -- Talk about living on the edge.

Whether it’s Porterville’s Shane Yacuta winning matches in the third period or Exeter’s Arnulfo Olea making his presence felt as just a freshman, Tulare County is oh-so-close to having two state medalists.

Of the 11 wrestlers that began the day at Rabobank Arena, only two remain when wrestling begins on Saturday at the CIF State wrestling championships in Bakersfield.

“Third place is my goal right now,” Yacuta said. “I just have to get my mentality straight knowing that I’m going to go in there every match and win at least by one point or at least pin him.

“I thought I was going to do terrible after that first loss. I was so depressed but I just want to do a lot better than last year.”

The Porterville junior as well as the Exeter freshman both came through their respective brackets — 130 pounds and 103 pounds — the same way: Winning their first match only to lose their second and come through the consolations to come a match away from placing in the top eight in the state of California.

Yacuta lost in the first round to Citrus Hills’ Matt Guevera 5-4. He then wrestled back to win his next three matches, including victories in the final two by one point (5-4 and 4-3). In both of those matches, Yacuta scored a takedown and rode out his opponent to advance.

“The first loss, he got me that match,” Yacuta said. “All of these other matches, I’m just going out and have fun. I’m just trying my best. I’m just going point-by-point and win by one, that’s fine with me.”

In the first round of consolation in the morning, Yacuta will take on Martin Luther King’s Cody

Hancock while Olea faces a familar foe: Frontier’s Vincent Gomez. Last week at Central Section Grand Masters, Gomez pinned Olea in the second period. Both wrestlers are freshmen.

“I’m tired and I have to make weight for tomorrow and I hope I can place,” Olea said. “I just have to think positive and keep focused.

“It’’s a tough tournament and it’s a good experience. I just need to wrestle tough and stay focused.”

Like Yacuta, Olea won his first match but then fell to the top-ranked wrestler in the state -- Chico’s Nahshon Garrett -- in the second round. He’d win his next two matches to get to the top at 103 pounds.

As for the rest of the county wrestlers, some made a quick exit while others made the most of their trip to Bakersfield.

Tulare Union heavyweight Paul Perez, who said it’s not luck that he got here, nearly made the final round of consolation. He lost his first match then beat Chico’s Daniel Fusi in his next match. But his run at state came to an end in his next consolation match as the Redskins senior lost to Laguna Hills’ Noel Molina 2-1 in triple overtime.

“My goal was to get to state and I think I did pretty well in doing that,” Perez said. “By the grace of God, I got in not once but twice. I was glad to get here my senior year. For me it was just a privilege and a great experience for me. I just want to thank all my coaches who helped me out and everyone who supported me throughout the year.

“I just wanted to do some damage at least. I wasn’t supposed to be here but I proved that I can last longer than some guys that got their spots. I’m very proud of what I’ve done this year, especially today.”

Also seeing his high school career end was Mt. Whitney’s 171-pound Matt Wykoff. Wykoff lost his initial match but won the next two before finally bowing out of the tournament with a loss to Terra Linda’s Roman Ermolov 10-5.

Still, Wykoff said he isn’t finished with wrestling.

“Looking back, there’s obviously stuff I could have done but I gave it my all,” Wykoff said. “I want to say I have no regrets but I do. It sucks a little but I’m going to college and I’m going to wrestle. I’m not done. I haven’t peaked yet. I have a lot more to grow.

The only other county wrestler to win a match on Friday was Mission Oak’s Jason Medley. The sophomore 140-pounder lost his first match but came back in the first round of consolation to beat Citrus Hills’ Kashawn Riley 6-1. But Medley’s stay in Bakersfield ended with his next match as he lost to Madera South’s Jonathan Gomez.

Golden West’s Mike Lopez (160), Exeter’s Jason Gagnon (119) and Josh Alvarado (145), Porterville’s David Ali and Woodlake’s Juan Tovar (285) were all two matches and out.

Ali lost his first match then defaulted out of the tournament. He’s been battling injuries all season, some from football and some wrestling. Ali is a junior and should make it back next year.

One wrestler who was not in Bakersfield on Friday was Tulare Western junior Chino Williams. Williams didn’t weigh-in Friday morning and defaulted out of the tournament.