Gallery • 10 Photos

J. Dollins

Jacob Zuniga leads the young wrestling team in stretches during warm-ups.

Colton, CA—With last week’s meet against Rim of the World cancelled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among Rim’s athletes, the Yellowjacket wrestling squad entered this evening’s meet against the Rialto Knights a little less experienced than they hoped to be, losing the meet 40-24.

“It definitely showed them they have a lot of potential,” head coach Andrew Castro said. “We have a young team. A lot of them are sophomores and freshmen . . . usually we don’t get the kids until they’re seniors—juniors or seniors and they are about to graduate. So to see that we have almost a full roster and a lot of them are freshmen and sophomores—from here on out they’re gonna progress as long as they stick with it.”

Seniors Joseph Duran, Jacob Zuniga, and Crystal Torres were sidelined because Rialto did not have anyone in either of the boys’ weight classes, or a female in Torres’ weight class.

Duran was disappointed that he couldn’t wrestle, but he was excited about his teammates’ experience building. “A lot of our guys are beginners, so I saw a lot of heart in all of our matches,” he said. “None of them have a big idea about what they are doing, but they’re going out there and giving it their all, and that’s all we’re asking them to do.”

After the meet was over, Duran was given permission by the referee to spar with one of Rialto’s wrestlers, but it was not an official match. Duran did not squander the opportunity, pinning his Rialto opponent in the first round.

As for the official matches, Colton’s varsity, which fielded five freshmen, went 0-7 against the Knights. However, Frank Lobato, Cesar Loera, Gael Parada Vasquez, and Daniel Vega all pushed their opponent into multiple rounds.

“It was a fun experience,” Gael Parada Vasquez said. He has only participated in four matches up to this point. “Everything went by so quick. I need to get better on my techniques.”

For Frank Lobato, this was his first match ever, and he went the distance against his opponent, losing on points, 12-4. He spent his time post-match reflecting on what he saw on the mat. “When I had him down, and I was on top of him, I was trying to get my hand on his head so I could get a pin. But I couldn’t get my hand on his head.”

The only official win posted by a Yellowjacket came on the JV side, as sophomore Santino Zamora defeated Ricardo Torres by pin in the first round. This was only Zamora’s sixth match, and his first victory. “It was an experience. When he took me down, I was trying to get up. I got up, he was behind me. I just reached my arm back, thinking about what we do in practice everyday, and I pulled him over my shoulder, and from that I knew I got him.”

The Colton wrestling squad has a busy Winter Break ahead of them. On December 27-29, they will participate in the Blackwatch Tournament at Upland High School. Then on January 5, they get their rescheduled match against Rim of the World. And lastly, on January 7-8, they will hit the mat for the Silverado Tournament.

Results

Varsity loses to Rialto 40-24

126 weight class
Jose Ramirez (11) wins by Rialto forfeit

132 weight class
Frank Lobato (9) loses David Bautista in 3 rounds on points, 12-4

138 weight class
Cesar Loera (9) loses to Jimmy Yanez by pin in 2nd round

145 weight class
Joseph Duran (12) wins by Rialto forfeit

152 weight class
Jacob Zuniga (12) wins by Rialto forfeit

160 weight class
Gael Parada Vasquez loses to Leonardo Hernandez by pin in 2nd round

170 weight class
Abeal Sanchez (11) loses to Jose Nuñez by pin in 2nd round

182 weight class
Edwin Agustin (9) wins by Rialto forfeit

195 weight class
Daniel Vega (9) loses to Israel Solis-Antonio by pin in 2nd round

220 weight class
Jonathon Hernandez (11) loses to Anthony Gonzales by pin in 1st round

285 weight class
Adam Sanchez (9) loses to Jeremiah Escanuela by pin in 1st round

Junior Varsity loses to Rialto by tiebreaker, 24-24

126 weight class
Adrian Colunga (10) loses to Jonathan Ortiz by pin in 1st round

145 weight class
Pablo Castelan (10) wins by Rialto forfeit

152 weight class
Aidan Arroyo (9) wins by Rialto forfeit

160 weight class
Edward Candelas wins by Colton forfeit

195 weight class
Eduardo Rosales wins by Colton forfeit
Myles Garza wins by Rialto forfeit

220 weight class
Santino Zamora (10) wins over Ricardo Torres by pin in 1st round

285 weight class
Alexandro Ruiz (12) loses to Brian Afforo by pin in 1st round