BRENTWOOD >> Upper Lake High School wrestlers brought home three medals from tournament action at Liberty High School last week following a strong showing at the Fort Bragg Tournament on Dec. 20.
During the Lou Bronzan Invitational on Dec. 22-23 at Liberty High School, one of the top tournaments in the state, heavyweight Nick Kranich and 126-pound Zack Sneathen secured medals, which are awarded to the top eight in each weight class. Taking place at the same time as the Lou Bronzan was the Brittany David Invitational for girls, also at Liberty High School. Upper Lake”s Angel Stith, a sophomore and first-year wrestler, brought home a fourth-place medal.
Kranich scored a series of pins to reach the semifinals, including a win over the tournament”s No. 4 seed, before losing to the No. 2 seed in the semis. He came back through the consolation bracket to finish fourth.
Sneathen, competing in one of the tournament”s toughest weight classes at 126 pounds, went 4-3 during the two-day competition.
“There were three state qualifiers in his weight class,” said Zack”s older brother and Upper Lake”s head coach, Brandon Sneathen.
Sneathen, the No. 6 seed, reached the quarterfinals in day one before losing to the No. 3 seed. He split his four matches on day two and ended up with an eighth-place medal.
“A couple of his matches could have gone either way,” Brandon Sneathen said.
Stith, one of two girls on the Upper Lake squad, finished 2-2 at 101 pounds. Her victories were by pin and 16-1 technical fall.
Just missing out on a medal was Chelsie Valdez, who came in fifth at 137 pounds after going 2-2 (the Brittany David awarded medals to the top four in each weight class).
Also competing at the Lou Bronzan were Alex Sanchez at 120 pounds, Tyler Banks at 180 pounds and Junior Serrano at 220 pounds.
Sanchez, a sophomore, was competing in his first major tournament, according to Sneathen, and showed flashes of brilliance while going 1-2. One of his losses came to the tournament”s eventual 120-pound winner.
“He had great matches and surprised the heck out of me,” Sneathen said. “He”s going to have a great career.”
During the Fort Bragg competition a few days earlier, the Cougars claimed the final team trophy with a fifth-place finish, which made Sneathen”s day.
“My first trophy as a head coach,” the second-year coach said.
Zack Sneathen won the 126-pound title and was voted the tournament”s outstanding lightweight after beating the No. 1 seed in the finals.
Third-place medals went to Stith, who went head to head with boys at 106 pounds; to Serrano at 220 pounds; and to Kranich in the heavyweight division. One of Kranich”s victories came against the No. 2-seeded heavyweight in the North Coast Section, according to Sneathen.
“He showed me he”s a legitimate contender in the section, that he can go to state,” Sneathen said of Kranich.
Upper Lake travels to Sacramento for the Dragon Duals on Saturday.
