LOWER LAKE >> Lower Lake wrestlers collected 13 medals on Saturday during the season-opening Coastal Mountain Conference Novice Tournament at Lower Lake High School.
The tournament, which is restricted to first-year wrestlers and returning wrestlers with limited experience, drew 10 schools. Medals were awarded down to three places in each weight class.
Lower Lake”s medal haul included firsts for Dakota Apodaca in the 84-103 weight class, Isaiah Klein at 117-120, Francisco Rocuant at 142-150, and Peerliss Brooke at 170-181.
“The surprise of the tournament, my MVP if I would have given one, was Francisco Racuant,” Lower Lake coach Ed Fuchs said. “He went 4-0 with three pins.”
Rocuant is a sophomore who began the season with the Trojans a year ago.
Nearly as impressive was Brooke, according to Fuchs. He went 3-0 with two pins and led the Trojans with nine takedowns.
Middletown coach Brian Hunt took only a handful of wrestlers and was impressed with what he saw.
Jonathan Wilson won the 130-133 weight class while Quentin Crayne (120-124), Jake Samson (124-128) and Saul Padilla (192-195) added second-place medals.
“All in all a pretty good day for us,” Hunt said. “I was happy with our performance.”
Kelseyville coach Rob Brown said Christina Navarro”s first-place finish in the girls” 153-154 weight class was the highlight of the tournament for the Knights along with Dakota Prescott”s second-place medal in the 151-159 boys” division.
Navarro, a senior and first-year wrestler, went 3-0 with three pins. Prescott finished 3-1.
“I took six wrestlers, all of them first-year wrestlers,” Brown said.
A complete list of Lake County”s medal winners is on Page A7.
