LAKE COUNTY >> Junior Fernandez of Upper Lake High School, the North Coast Section runner-up at 126 pounds, is the No. 9 seed going into the CIF State Championships on Friday and Saturday at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
Fernandez and unseeded 152-pounder Alex Garcia of Kelseyville High School, both juniors, are Lake County’s two representatives at this year’s state meet. Garcia placed third at last weekend’s NCS Championships in Union City to grab an at-large berth. He is making his first state appearance while Fernandez is making his second.
In his first trip to Bakersfield a year ago, Fernandez won his first match by technical fall before running into eventual 126-pound champion Justin Mejia of Clovis in the second round. Mejia won 11-5, sending Fernandez into the consolation bracket where he was eliminated with a 9-7 loss.
Fernandez draws freshman Raul Valdovinos of Clovis West in his first match Friday. The winner faces Rocky Raby of West Valley High School (Northern Section).
The No. 1 seed at 126 pounds is junior Cleveland Beltran of St. John Bosco High School (Southern Section), who is on the same side of the bracket as Fernandez. If those two wrestlers do meet, it wouldn’t be until the quarterfinals.
De La Salle’s Kyle Parco, who beat out Fernandez for the North Coast Section title last weekend, is the No. 7 seed.
Kelseyville’s Garcia will face either Esteban Molino of Firebaugh or Joseph Conroy of Great Oak in his first match. If Garcia prevails, he’s likely to draw No. 1 seed Domic Mata of Poway High School (Southern Section) in a second-round match.
Garcia takes a 31-7 record into Friday’s action while Fernandez is 40-6.
The top eight finishers in all weight divisions receive medals.
