Ceres High’s Parker Borges and Central Valley’s Joey Zuniga faced off in the 132-pound weight bracket of the James Riddle Memorial Invitational Varsity Boys Wrestling Tournament on Saturday in Oakdale.
Unseeded Borges topped third-seeded Zuniga by decision, 8-6, in overtime in the quarterfinals en route to claiming a fourth-place medal.
Zuniga also ended up taking home hardware as he finished sixth overall.
“It’s the highest Parker has placed at that high of a caliber tournament,” Bulldogs’ head coach Adam Borges said. “He did surprise me a little bit. But he’s been working hard.”
“I know Joey’s disappointed with the outcome,” Hawks’ leader Rob Beckhart said. “As a coach, I saw him beat some talented kids. Every match was difficult. He was sick all week. I wasn’t sure he was going to wrestle. He did well.”
Borges compiled a 2-2 record at the Riddle Classic.
He collected wins against third-seeded Zuniga and Bakersfield’s Micah Spradlin (injury default).
He lost to second-seeded Gavin Ross of Patterson (pin, 3:40) and top-seeded Kai Yi-berg of Folsom (pin, 0:34).
Borges didn’t compete at the Oakdale event last season due to injury.
“It’s a big step for him,” coach Borges said. “He wrestled really well. He’s been pushing himself. He takes extra reps at practice. He still has a lot of work to do.”
Zuniga posted a 3-2 record.
He beat Benicia’s Dominic Garingarao (technical fall, 18-3), Sonora’s Ryan Lail (decision, 8-5) and Big Valley Christian’s Nolan Cheek (pin, 2:16).
He lost to Borges and Oak Ridge’s Tristen Platt (decision, 7-3).
The Bulldogs and Hawks had a combined 18 grapplers compete at the Riddle Classic.
Borges, Calen Adams, McCoy Adams, Abraham Rodriguez and Jaden Silva represented Ceres High.
Calen Adams compiled a 2-2 record at 120 pounds.
He beat Benicia’s Ethan Teodoro (decision, 11-6) and Central Valley’s Jayden Mattox (pin, 2:43).
He lost to Big Valley Christian’s Nehemiah Stubbert (pin, 1:02) and Oakdale’s Taylen Beck (major decision, 11-0).
McCoy Adams compiled a 1-2 record at 113 pounds.
He beat Sonora’s Sam Pingree (pin, 1:52).
He lost to Turlock’s Cole Cronan (pin, 2:00) and Patterson’s Alfredo Hernandez (decision, 7-2).
Rodriguez compiled an 0-2 record at 165 pounds.
He lost to Calaveras’ Christopher Ortega (pin, 1:37) and Clovis East’s Damian Mannon (pin, 2:57).
Silva compiled an 0-2 record at 285 pounds.
He lost to Johansen’s Richard Savali Nuku (pin, 2:15) and Oakdale’s Angel Deanda (pin, 3:15).
Zuniga, Kenneth Orrin, Santino Breshears, Samuel Deleon, Mahkai Smith, Salvador Almazan, Jayden Mattox, Kevin Mendoza, Manjot Gill, Julian Lugo, Albert Gonzales, Sean Vernon and Julian Gonzalez represented Central Valley.
Orin posted a 2-2 record at 190 pounds.
He beat Downey’s Jairo Torres Iraheta (pin, 4:00) and Tracy’s Martin Valle (pin, 2:17).
He lost to Johansen’s Anthony Alves (decision, 9-2) and Folsom’s Angelo Sardo (pin, 1:00).
Breshears posted a 1-2 record at 138 pounds.
He beat Summerville’s Thomas Mcquinn (pin, 1:48).
He lost to Lodi’s Ethan Warmerdam (major decision, 14-2) and Hope’s Owen Severne (pin, 3:22).
Deleon posted a 1-2 record at 190 pounds.
He beat Patterson’s Juan Alvarez (decision, 10-4).
He lost to Calaveras’ Scott Beadles (pin, 0:53) and South High’s Joseph Rodriguez (pin, 2:50).
Smith posted a 1-2 record at 215 pounds.
He beat Oakdale’s Nathaniel Deanda (pin, 0:48).
He lost to Foothill’s Cavin Cain (pin, 1:49) and South High’s Pascual Garcia (pin, 4:40).
Almanzan posted a 1-2 record at 285 pounds.
He beat Lodi’s Zach Kessler (pin, 2:35).
He lost to Johansen’s Aeric Amerel (pin, 1:28) and Sutter Union’s D’macio Concepcion Acosta (pin, 1:37).
Mattox posted an 0-2 record at 120 pounds.
He lost to Clovis North’s Johnny Olmos (pin, 3:11) and Ceres High’s Calen Adams (pin, 2:43).
Mendoza posted an 0-2 record at 126 pounds.
He lost to Johansen’s Mario Estrada (major decision, 11-1) and Turlock’s Eliseo Martinez (decision, 5-4).
Gill posted an 0-2 record at 132 pounds.
He lost to Oakdale’s Broderick Steck (decision, 9-7) and Sonora’s Ryan Lail (major decision, 12-2).
Lugo posted an 0-2 record at 138 pounds.
He lost to Placer’s Leland Rodriguez (pin, 2:47) and Johansen’s Malikhi Agbogidi (pin, 2:34).
Gonzales posted an 0-2 record at 157 pounds.
He lost to Sonora’s Austin Craig (pin, 1:36) and Bakersfield’s Ray Juarez (major decision, 14-4).
Vernon posted an 0-2 record at 165 pounds..
He lost to Foothill’s Kadence Reich (pin, 3:15) and Hughson’s Brady Kline (pin, 0:57).
Gonzalez posted an 0-2 record at 215 pounds.
He lost to Turlock’s Elijah Watson (pin, 0:41) and Tracy’s Isaias Servin (pin, 1:00).
“Most of the kids did better than they thought they would do,” Beckhart said.
