EAST LANSING, Mich. — Former Upper Lake High School wrestling great Junior Fernandez opens the next chapter in his career Saturday in the 133-pound division at the Michigan State Open at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
Fernandez, whose athletic and academic accomplishments at Upper Lake earned him a scholarship to Division I Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, will get his first taste of college competition as a true freshman for the Mustangs.
“Yes, we will be there,” said Joe Fernandez, Junior’s dad and coach at Upper Lake. “We wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
Joe and wife Jamie were traveling through Chicago en route to Michigan on Friday morning. Joe is still the head coach at Upper Lake High School where a new season begins on Monday with the official start of the winter sports season.
“It will definitely be a lot different without him (Junior) or my daughter (Adriana Lopez),” Fernandez said of the upcoming 2019-20 season.
Junior finished fifth in the state at 132 pounds last season while daughter Adriana won the girls state championship at 121 pounds, the first Lake County high school athlete to win a state title in a CIF-sanctioned sport. Adriana is also on scholarship at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky, which has one of the top women’s wrestling programs in the country.
“The skill level is a lot lower but that’s OK,” Fernandez said of the ULHS wrestling program. “We just have to adjust. We’re definitely going to a lot easier tournaments to help build confidence in the kids. They have been going to a lot of tough tournaments the last few years (along with the now-graduated Fernandez and Lopez).”
Looking ahead to their son’s college debut, both mom and dad are equal parts excited and proud, according to Fernandez.
“We are very excited to see Junior compete in college and to watch him on his amazing journey,” Fernandez said.
