BAKERSFIELD — Upper Lake High School”s Robbie Avery won his first two matches to reach the quarterfinals before dropping a 3-1 decision to Nicholas Sierra of Lemoore in the 140-pound division Friday at the CIF State Wrestling Championships in Bakersfield.
Avery, a senior, returns to action today in the consolation bracket against Kyle Chene, the Southern Section champion, and the stakes couldn”t be much higher. Whoever wins the match is guaranteed a top-eight finish and a medal, with the opportunity to place as high as third. The loser is done.
Avery, the North Coast Section runner-up this season, was one of only seven NCS wrestlers to make it to the quarterfinals on Friday. Chene, also a senior, lost 14-4 to Javier Sanchez in an opening-round match but responded with four straight victories in the consolation bracket as Sanchez was earning a berth in the semifinals.
Avery beating Josh Perkins of Central Valley 9-6 and Nalan Ludwig of Elk Grove 7-5 in overtime in his first two matches Friday. Avery”s win over Ludwig, who entered the tournament ranked fifth in the state, definitely turned some heads in Avery”s direction, according to Upper Lake head coach Tom Cox.
“Robbie has really scared a lot of people down here,” Cox said.
In the quarterfinals, Sierra scored an escape point in the first period against Avery and had a two-point takedown in the second period to open up a 3-0 lead.
Avery immediately scored an escape point in the third period but was unable to do any other damage against Sierra.
“He”s short and stocky and it was very had to shoot on him,” Cox said of Sierra. “That kid will probably be in the finals.”
Sierra also used the clock to his advantage in the third period and was even called once for stalling, which is only a warning.
Against Ludwig, Avery built a 5-1 advantage and led 5-3 after two periods. Ludwig forced overtime with a two-point reversal late in the period. In the overtime, Avery struck almost immediately with a two-point takedown to win the match in front of a packed house at Rabobank Arena.
Also at stake today for both Avery and Chene is a trip to the Nationals in Virginia Beach later this month. The top eight finishers in each weight division are invited to participate.
“Robbie”s in good company down here,” Cox said. “The competition is incredible.”
The wrestler Avery lost to in the NCS Championships a week ago in Newark, David Rios of Liberty, also won his first two matches on Friday before losing 7-3 in the quarterfinals to the state”s top-ranked 140-pounder, Vlad Dombrovsky of Natomas High School in the Sac-San Joaquin Section.
Rios wrestles Jesse Stafford in his first match today, needing a win to reach the medal round.
You can follow all the action online at www.cifstate.org
