Porterville Klaws wrestling garners top finishes

Porterville High wrestling’s season might be over, but Porterville Klaws club wrestling is just getting started.

Two from the Panthers’ wrestling squad — Zack Martinez and Martin Sandoval — are expanding their resumes with top finishes in statewide tournaments in the offseason.

Wrestling in the 135-pound class of the Western Nationals at Clovis High, Martinez placed first while Sandoval took seventh at Cadet State in the 119-pound division.

Burton Middle School’s Mason Pengilly placed first at Cadet State in the 98-pound class to rank first in the state at his weight. The eighth-grader also took first at Reno Nationals.

Fellow Burton classmate Matt Gamble — of Team Marauder’s wrestling club — took first at Cadet State among 91-pounders.

Javier Jimenez was the busiest among the Klaws, competing in three different tournaments with a first-place finish in the Junior State tournament (at 95 pounds) and two second-place finishes at Western Nationals (105 pounds) and Cadet State (98 pounds).

Sixth-grader Joey Sandoval added another first-place finish in the 120-pound class at the Folkstyle State tournament.