Local wrestling teams have strong efforts

The Monache, Granite Hills and Porterville High wrestling teams all had outstanding performances in their respective tough tournaments over the weekend.

Monache finished fourth out of 33 schools at the Kern County Invitational with two wrestlers, Matt Gamble (106 pounds) and Seth Hood (113) winning titles. Gamble was also chosen as the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the lower weights at the Kern County event.

Meanwhile, Porterville placed eighth out of 75 teams at the Five Counties Tournament held at Fountain Valley High School in Orange County. Mason Pengilly (113) went 5-0 to win a title at the event for PHS. At Redwood, all four of Granite’s wrestlers who competed in the event, placed.

Monache was up with some of the state’s and Valley’s top programs as Southern California’s El Dorado won the event while Centennial took second. Buchanan edged Monache, which finished with 175 points, for third by 2.5 points.

Gamble beat a Buchanan wrestler 15-3 in the finals while Hood beat a Bakersfield wrestler 7-0 in the finals. Monache had seven wrestlers place in the event and another wrestler, Ryan Poe (120) advanced to the finals. Poe settled for second after losing a close 7-4 match in the finals to El Dorado’s Trent Morris, the state’s 33rd ranked wrestler.

Also placing for Monache were Arthur Demerath (106), a nonscoring wrestler, who took seventh, Josh Sabayan (126, third), Joey Ryan (138, third) and Justin Fournier (152, fifth). Making Monache’s effort more impressive was the fact that it had just 11 out of a possible 14 wrestlers.

“Overall, I thought our team competed extremely well,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said. “I think we’re building a real good team here. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with where our program is heading.”

At the Five Counties event, Porterville was in the running to finish as high as sixth before settling for eighth in a tournament that featured many of Southern California’s top schools and Las Vegas power Palo Verde, which took third. West Covina’s Northview won the tournament while Centennial-Corona was second. Porterville’s effort was also impressive as it had just 11 wrestlers as well.

PHS had three other wrestlers place as Javier Jimenez (106) went 3-2 to take sixth, Martin Sandoval (132) was third and Greg Pagela (145) was eighth. Abel Contreras (120) came within one overtime loss of placing.

Porterville had five other wrestlers for a total of 10 that won at least one match: Joe Duran (140, 2-2), Rodriguez Alvardo (160, 2-2), Anthony Thompson (182, 1-2), Lane Martin (195, 1-2) and Gio Gonzalez (220, 1-2).

“The kids wrestled well,” Porterville coach Tim Vanni said. “I’m very pleased with their performance.”

At Redwood, Danny Jaquinde (171) placed third, Sal Coronel (182) took fourth, Tyler Jones (160) was fifth and Ruben Corona (heavyweight) was sixth for Granite. “I was pleased with how them did,” Granite Hills coach Marty Kouyoumtjian said.

The Monache, Granite Hills and Porterville High wrestling teams all had outstanding performances in their respective tough tournaments over the weekend.

Monache finished fourth out of 33 schools at the Kern County Invitational with two wrestlers, Matt Gamble (106 pounds) and Seth Hood (113) winning titles. Gamble was also chosen as the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the lower weights at the Kern County event.

Meanwhile, Porterville placed eighth out of 75 teams at the Five Counties Tournament held at Fountain Valley High School in Orange County. Mason Pengilly (113) went 5-0 to win a title at the event for PHS. At Redwood, all four of Granite’s wrestlers who competed in the event, placed.

Monache was up with some of the state’s and Valley’s top programs as Southern California’s El Dorado won the event while Centennial took second. Buchanan edged Monache, which finished with 175 points, for third by 2.5 points.

Gamble beat a Buchanan wrestler 15-3 in the finals while Hood beat a Bakersfield wrestler 7-0 in the finals. Monache had seven wrestlers place in the event and another wrestler, Ryan Poe (120) advanced to the finals. Poe settled for second after losing a close 7-4 match in the finals to El Dorado’s Trent Morris, the state’s 33rd ranked wrestler.

Also placing for Monache were Arthur Demerath (106), a nonscoring wrestler, who took seventh, Josh Sabayan (126, third), Joey Ryan (138, third) and Justin Fournier (152, fifth).

Making Monache’s effort more impressive was the fact that it had just 11 out of a possible 14 wrestlers.

“Overall, I thought our team competed extremely well,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said.

“I think we’re building a real good team here. Overall, I’m extremely pleased with where our program is heading.”

At the Five Counties event, Porterville was in the running to finish as high as sixth before settling for eighth in a tournament that featured many of Southern California’s top schools and Las Vegas power Palo Verde, which took third. West Covina’s Northview won the tournament while Centennial-Corona was second. Porterville’s effort was also impressive as it had just 11 wrestlers as well.

PHS had three other wrestlers place as Javier Jimenez (106) went 3-2 to take sixth, Martin Sandoval (132) was third and Greg Pagela (145) was eighth. Abel Contreras (120) came within one overtime loss of placing.

Porterville had five other wrestlers for a total of 10 that won at least one match: Joe Duran (140, 2-2), Rodriguez Alvardo (160, 2-2), Anthony Thompson (182, 1-2), Lane Martin (195, 1-2) and Gio Gonzalez (220, 1-2).

“The kids wrestled well,” Porterville coach Tim Vanni said. “I’m very pleased with their performance.”

At Redwood, Danny Jaquinde (171) placed third, Sal Coronel (182) took fourth, Tyler Jones (160) was fifth and Ruben Corona (heavyweight) was sixth for Granite. “I was pleased with how them did,” Granite Hills coach Marty Kouyoumtjian said.