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Although they were a predominately freshman-laden squad, the Cerritos College wrestling team has announced that five of their sophomores have signed with four-year schools. Of the five who have signed, four were state placers, while two of them were All-Americans. On the year, the Falcons won the SCWA Southwest Conference championship, Southern California Championship and placed second at the CCCAA State Championships. The two All-Americans - 133-pound Stefano McKinney and 157-pound Larry Rodriguez - each placed third at the State Championships. McKinney has committed to San Francisco State University, while Rodriguez will be transferring to Missouri Valley College. Others who signed are 165-pound Drake De La Cruz (Fresno State University) and 184-pound Angel Verduzco (Baker, KS University), who each placed seventh and sixth, respectively, while Moises Hernandez, who competed at 133 pounds, signed with Graceland (IA) University.
To head coach Donny Garriott, the signings "mean we are continuing to produce student athletes that four-year schools are interested in. We have had a good track record with our transfers being productive at the next level and these coaches are paying attention to that."
Garriott also felt that the transition the wrestlers made from their freshman to sophomore seasons rested solely on maturity. "At this age, they are really transitioning both physically and mentally. Once we get them to buy in to our program, along with the natural maturing process, they seem to have great results."
McKinney (pictured, left), who took third place at the Southern California Championships, went 26-12 on the year and competed at three different weight classes. He went 12-3 at 133 pounds, which is where he competed once the post-season began. He was also 13-9 at 141 pounds and won his lone match at 149 pounds. He also placed fourth at the Santa Ana Tournament and took fifth at the Bill Musick Open, both at 149 pounds.
As for Rodriguez, who was an All-American at 149 pounds his freshman season when he came in fourth at the State Championships, he went 23-3 on the year. Rodriguez was 19-3 at 157 pounds and 4-0 at 165 pounds, which included winning the Southern California championship. Rodriguez defeated eventual state champion Josh McMillon of Fresno City College in the State Team Dual Meet Championship, 11-5, but suffered a 4-1 loss in the state quarterfinals before battling back to finish in third place. He also won the championship at the Santa Ana Tournament and West Hills Tournament.
De La Cruz (pictured, right) and Verduzco (pictured, left) had similar routes at the state championships. Each won their first round match and then suffered losses to wrestlers who advanced to the state championship match. De La Cruz, who went 17-16 on the year at 165 pounds, capped off his season with a technical fall for a seventh place finish, while Verduzco won two matches in a row in the consolation round, but was pinned in the fifth place match. Both took fourth at the Southern California Championships at the Bill Musick Open, Verduzco, who combined to got 14-12 on the year at 184 and 197 pounds, took fifth place, while De La Cruz went 2-2 at the Menlo College Open, with both wins coming by pinfall. Competing at 197 pounds at the Santa Ana Tournament, Verduzco placed fourth. Hernandez, who saw limited time on the mat, failed to win a match as a sophomore.