Taking part in their first matches of the season, the Cerritos College wrestling team picked up wins in all four of their matches on Saturday at the Bakersfield Duals. The Falcons (4-0) opened the season with a 41-6 win over Sacramento City College, and continued to post wins over Bakersfield College (36-12), Victor Valley College (52-6) and West Hills-Lemoore College (39-12). They will travel to West Hills-Lemoore on Saturday for another round of dual matches.
Cerritos vs. Sacramento City: Facing one of the top teams in Northern California, the Falcons gave the Panthers all they could handle. In three of the first five matches, Cerritos posted pins, with freshman 125-pound Joshua Mendoza (Warren HS) getting things started in the first period. Sophomore Devin Daugherty (Cypress HS) recorded a quick pin at 149 pounds, while sophomore Nick Dozier (Irvine HS) was trailing, 7-4 in the second period at 157 pounds before getting his win by pinfall. Sophomore 165-pound Kennith Kirk (Lake Elsinore HS) almost came away with a pin in the third period of his match, but settled for a 17-6 victory. The Falcons earned a six-point win due to an injury at 197 pounds for freshman Jarrod Nunez (Mayfair HS), with freshmen 285-pound Randy Gonzalez (Lakewood HS) capping off the match with a first period pin.
Cerritos vs. Bakersfield: Five more wins by pin highlighted the Falcons win over the host Renegades. Freshman Roland Dominguez (Downey HS) recorded a first period pin at 133 pounds, followed by six-point pins from sophomore Nick Camacho (Paramount HS) at 141 pounds, Dozier (157 pounds), Kirk (165 pounds) and freshman Joshua Bustamonte (La Serna HS) at 174 pounds, who took a quick 10-0 lead before ending the match in the first period. In the closest match of the day, Randy Gonzalez went into overtime and earned an escape point to pull out a 2-1 win at 285 pounds. Mendoza also recorded a 6-4 win at 125 pounds with a late escape and takedown.
Cerritos vs. Victor Valley: Facing a depleted Rams squad, the Falcons received four wins by forfeit along with three pins. Freshman Richard Gurule (Santa Ana Calvary Chapel HS) was leading 14-1 when he recorded his second period pin at 149 pounds, with sophomore Isaiah Leyva (San Jacinto HS) needing just 2:13 to earn his win at 184 pounds. Randy Gonzalez finished off the match with a pin in 5:54, with the duo of sophomore Zack Gonzalez (Lakewood HS) and Nunez recording technical falls at 174 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively.
Cerritos vs. West Hills-Lemoore: The day came to a close with the Falcons opening up a 21-0 lead through the first four matches on their way to a comfortable win. Freshman Jose Espinoza (Paloma Valley HS) pinned his 133-pound opponent in 1:47, while sophomore Joshua Brown (Esperanza HS) needed 2:27 to post his pin at 141 pounds. Kirk recorded his second pin of the day at 165 pounds and needed just 1:25, with Zack Gonzalez registering his second straight pin, this time in 6:32 at 174 pounds. Also earning wins for Cerritos were Mendoza (12-6 at 125 pounds), Daughtery, who picked up a technical fall at 149 pounds, Nunez at 197 pounds and Randy Gonzalez at 285 pounds.