After the first five weights in their Southwest Conference match against host Rio Hondo College on Wednesday, the Cerritos College wrestling team was trailing, 15-4. But in the last five matches, the Falcons (11-1, 3-0) outscored the Roadrunners, 19-6 to post a 23-21 victory. The team will now travel to compete in the Fresno City Tournament on Saturday.

The comeback started at 165 pounds, where sophomore Wyatt Gerl (Calvary Chapel HS) posted a tech fall win over Mario Martinez, 18-3, which earned the Falcons five team points. Gerl was close to pinning Martinez in both the first and second periods and earned the win before the end of the second period. Leading 4-1 after the first period, freshman 174-pound Zack Gonzalez (Lakewood HS) opened the second period with a takedown and went on to pin Anthony Espinoza to tie the match at 15-15 with three more weights to be contested.

Freshman Ryan Gutierrez (Brea Olinda HS) gave the team their first lead of the night with a convincing 15-4 win over Ronny Peraza at 184 pounds. Opening up a 6-1 lead in the first period, which included a four-point near fall, Gutierrez increased his lead to 10-2 after the second period and cruised to the win. The Falcons clinched the match when sophomore David Van Weems (Corona Centennial HS) posted a 13-2 win over Bobby Ramirez at 197 pounds. The four team points gave Cerritos a 23-15 lead with one match remaining. Van Weems, the defending state champion at the weight, pulled out to an 8-1 lead in the first period and nearly pinned Ramirez within the first three minutes. He extended his lead to 10-2 in the second period and used the full match as an opportunity to get in some extra work.

Also winning on the night for Cerritos was freshman 141-pound Nick Camacho (Paramount HS), who earned a convincing 18-5 win over Manual Romero. His won also included a pair of near-falls.

125 Pounds - Adrian Guevarra (RHC) pinned Eric Gonzalez (CERR)
133 Pounds - Joel Navarro (RHC) def. Messiah Owens (CERR), 6-2
141 Pounds - Nick Camacho (CERR) def. Manuel Romero (RHS), 18-5
149 Pounds - Khalil Howard (RCD) def. Devin Daugherty (CERR), 6-3
157 Pounds - James Schmidt (RHC) def. Nick Dozier (CERR), 18-11
165 Pounds - Wyatt Gerl (CERR) tech fall over Mario Martinez (RHC), 18-3
174 Pounds - Zack Gonzalez (CERR) pinned Anthony Espinoza (RHC)
184 Pounds - Ryan Gutierrez (CERR) def. Ronny Peraza (RHC), 15-4
197 Pounds - David Van Weems (CERR) def. Bobby Ramirez (RHC), 13-2
285 Pounds - Marco Valdivia (RHC) pinned Robert Ceregatti (CERR)