CLOVIS >> Carter Rudolph of the Punishers Wrestling Club of Lower Lake is now a state champion.
Rudolph pinned an old rival in Gabriel Barragran of the Hemet Youth Wrestling Club in the second round to win the 104-pound title last weekend during the SCWAY Kids State Championships at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
Barragran has beaten Rudolph in past meetings but not this time around as Rudolph collected his first state championship and the Punishers’ 17th in the last 11 years.
Also placing for the Punishers during the tournament were Isaiah Rubio, who came in sixth in the 73-pound 11-12 age division; Austin Fredrickson, who finished seventh in the 69-pound 11-12 division; and Jonathan Fredrickson, who came in seven in the 75-pound 15-and-under division.
Mario Cuellar came up just short of the medal rounds.
The Punishers are sending 15 wrestlers to the Reno World Championship next month. A field of more than 3,500 will compete at the Reno Livestock Convention Center.
