In their first competition of the season, the Cerritos College wrestling team put up three victories at the Bakersfield Duals on Saturday. The Falcons (3-0) recorded wins over the host Renegades (33-20), West Hills-Lemoore College (28-15) and Moorpark College (29-22), who just reinstated their program this season. The team will now travel to Mt. San Antonio College for more dual meets next Saturday.
Cerritos vs. Bakersfield: Led by three wins by pin and also receiving a forfeit win, the Falcons got the season started with a strong result. Cerritos opened a 33-3 lead after pins by 141-pound freshman Devin Daughtery (Cypress HS), 149-pound Alex Hernandez (West Valley HS) and sophomore 174-pound Blake Vasquez (Fountain Valley HS), along with sophomore Oliver Elizalde (Warren HS) receiving a forfeit win at 165 pounds. Daugherty took a quick 8-0 lead in the first period before earning the team six points, with Hernandez leading 20-4 in the third period, while Vasquez made quick work in his match as he jumped out to a 6-0 lead on the way to his pin. Also registering a win for the team against the Renegades was freshman 133-pound Joshua Brown (Esperanza HS), who posted a 7-6 win.
Cerritos vs. West Hills: Five convincing wins, followed by a pair of pins helped lead the Falcons to their victory over West Hills. Freshman 174-pound Christian Gutierrez and sophomore 184-pound John Robles (Santa Fe HS) secured the win with their six-point pins after opening a 16-6 team score advantage through the first six matches. Brown started the team's upward swing with his 12-5 win at 133 pounds, with freshman Nick Camacho (Paramount HS) earning a 17-8 win at 141 pounds that included a pair of four-point near-falls. Hernandez came away with a 9-4 win at 149 pounds, while sophomore Wyatt Gerl (Calvary Chapel HS) wrestled to an 8-1 win at 157 pounds. Sophomore Kennith Kirk (Elsinore HS) was held scoreless in the third period, but held a 14-8 lead that he held on to for a win at 165 pounds.
Cerritos vs. Moorpark: In their final match of the day, the Falcons opened up an 11-0 lead, but then trailed 18-11. They were able to come back because of a forfeit at 285 pounds and a first period pin by Brown at 133 pounds. In the final match, with Cerritos leading, 23-22, 141-pound Jacob Morales (Canyon HS) earned a six-point win when his opponent was injured in the first period and could not continue. Gerl recorded a first period pin at 157 pounds against the Raiders, while freshman Esteban Saucedo (Valencia HS) received a forfeit win at 285 pounds.