CLOVIS >> The sixth seed at 126 pounds in one of the toughest high school wrestling tournaments in the country lived up to his seeding on Saturday as Upper Lake High School’s Junior Fernandez came away with a sixth-place medal from the Doc Buchanan Invitational in Clovis.
Fernandez went 5-3 over the course of the two-day competition, which is considered a preview of the CIF State Championships later this winter. The Doc Buchanan not only draws the cream of the crop in regard to California wrestlers, but also attracts many of the top wrestlers from some of the leading high school programs in the country.
Fernandez lost his first match on Friday before answering with three straight wins to reach the second day of the tournament. He pinned his first opponent on Saturday to guarantee a top-12 finish and won again later in the day to earn a spot in the fifth-place match opposite Dylan Weaver of Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey. Weaver defeated Fernandez 11-7.
Fernandez, the fifth-ranked wrestler in the state of California, is now 17-3 on the season.
While Fernandez was wrestling in Clovis, Upper Lake teammates Adriana Lopez and Christina Wilson were competing in the Queen of the Mat Tournament in Napa. Lopez won her first five matches before losing in the 121-pound finals. Wilson won her first four matches at 131 pounds before losing in the championship match.
Upper Lake’s wrestlers return to action this coming Saturday. The boys travel to the Tim Brown Invitational in Sacramento while the girls participate in the Tokay Lady Tigers Invitational in Lodi.
