UPPER LAKE >> It was a busy weekend for members of the Upper Lake Junior Cougars, who participated in two tournaments.
On Sunday, 12 team members attended the Sierra Kids Folkstyle Tournament in Rocklin, including a trio of 3-year-olds — Silas Dancer, Julian Fernandez and Eddie Peregrina Jr. Competing in the Pee Wee bracket, Dancer came in first, Fernandez finished second and Peregrina was fourth.
Among the older team members, Aiden Dancer won all three of his matches by pin to finish first, Alexis Peregrina added another first, and both Jose Fernandez III and Donovan Fernandez came in second. Gabriella Fernandez finished third in a five-wrestler bracket, winning two matches by pin.
Upper Lake High School wrestlers competing under the Junior Cougars banner on this day were Nick Kranich and Junior Serrano, both taking firsts; Ricardo Sanchez, who came in second; and Jerrod Ankeny, who was third.
On Saturday, the Junior Cougars” two team captains — Aiden Dancer and Jose Fernandez III — participated in the SCWAY World Challenge in Fresno. The tournament drew a field of 750 and medaled down to six places. Each wrestler was guaranteed two matches.
Fernandez III competed in the 15-and-under division for 115-pounders. He won his first match 7-1, pinned his second opponent in 24 seconds, lost by pin in his third match, and lost again by pin in the consolation round. He came back to beat Marcos Magana of Santa Ana by pin to secure a fifth-place medal.
Dancer competed in the 49-pound bracket for ages 7-8 and lost both of his matches, one of them to Ronen Kono, a state placer from San Diego.
The Upper Lake Junior Cougars return to action this Sunday at Santa Rosa Junior College for the Harvest Crush tournament, which features wrestlers from Pee Wee through open divisions.
