On Wednesday night, the Cerritos College wrestling team improved to 11-0 on the year and 4-0 in Southwest Conference action after a 33-8 win over visiting Palomar College. The Falcons, ranked #2 in the state, will travel to Fresno City College this Saturday for the Bill Musick Open. The win against the Comets also secured the conference championship for Cerritos.
The match started at 149 pounds, with the Falcons earning a forfeit win, and concluded with sophomore 141-pound Andres Gonzales (Capistrano Valley HS) earning a pin in 1:25. In between, the team recorded four major wins, while freshman 285-pound Randy Arriaga (Capistrano Valley HS) pulled out a 4-2 double-overtime win. In his win over Enrique Gailicia, the #2-ranked Arriaga found himself in a 1-1 draw after regulation. After surrendering an escape point in the first :30 overtime period, Arriaga was awarded a penalty point, as Galicia was called for stalling. In second overtime, the match came to a finish :48 seconds in the 1:00 period on a takedown.
After the forfeit win for sophomore Stefano McKinney (Torrance HS) at 149 pounds, sophomore Richard Gurule (Downey Calvary Chapel HS) extended the team's lead with a 9-0, followed by a 13-2 major decision for sophomore Drake De La Cruz (Long Beach Millikan HS) at 165 pounds. It became a 16-0 Falcon lead after 174-pound freshman Cobe Hatcher (Mayfair HS) registered a 7-0 victory. Sophomore 197-pound Jarrod Nunez (Mayfair HS) posted the fourth major decision victory when the defeated Tomas Rizk, 10-2 at 197 pounds.
149 Pounds - Stefano McKinney (CERR) win by forfeit
157 Pounds - Richard Gurule (CERR) def. Taro Harmon (PAL), 9-0
165 Pounds - Drake De La Cruz (CERR) def. Frank Sanchez (PAL), 13-2
174 Pounds - Cobe Hatcher (CERR) def. Armando Rodriguez (PAL), 7-0
184 Pounds - Joseph Conroy (PAL) def. Bryan Samayoa (CERR), 11-2
197 Pounds - Jarrod Nunez (CERR) vs. Tomas Rizk (PAL), 15-6
285 Pounds - Randy Arriaga (CERR) vs. Enrique Galicia (PAL), 4-2 (2 OT)
125 Pounds - Juan Diaz (PAL) def. Shawn Martinez (CERR), 10-2
133 Pounds - Jose Lozano (CERR) def. Anthony Cox (PAL), 7-0
141 Pounds - Andres Gonzales (CERR) pinned Dylan Livingston (PAL), 1:25
Photos by Daryl Peterson
