LOWER LAKE — Along with celebrating a tri-meet sweep of Cloverdale and Upper Lake on Wednesday night, the Lower Lake High School wrestling team celebrated its four seniors during the Trojans’ final Coastal Mountain Conference home match of the season.
Four-year veterans Tristan Day and Jacob Billings were honored along with two-year veteran Gilberto Orozco and first-year wrestler Joseph Boyd. Day and Billings each received Foundation Awards for upholding the highest standards of Lower Lake wrestling, according to head coach Ed Fuchs.
Day has been involved in club and school wrestling for the better part of a decade. He wrestled for both the Punishers and CORE youth teams before reaching high school where he has experienced a tremendous amount of success for the Trojans.
“A lot of success,” Fuchs said. “It’s been a cool journey with Tristan. It’s always rough to lose these guys, especially the four-year guys. They make an impact on a team.”
Lower Lake improved to 5-0 in the CMC standings with its wins over Cloverdale, which is fielding a wrestling team for the first time in years, and Upper Lake.
“They’re coming,” Fuchs said of the Eagles program. “They had 23 middle schoolers wrestling last weekend (in Willits) and most of them are eighth-graders, so next year’s (high school) team should have 20 kids. They’ll be ready to compete in two or three years.”
In contested weight classes against Cloverdale, the Trojans went 5-1, the only loss coming at 220 pounds where Wesley Dobson lost a hard-fought battle and ultimately was pinned in the third round.
“It was 5-5 going to the third (round),” Fuchs said. “He fought, it was a great match.”
Lower Lake winners were Bryan Gudino by first-round pin at 106 pounds, Bob Cruz by 15-6 major decision at 122 pounds, Day by second-round pin at 128 pounds, Pedro Garrido by second-round pin at 134 pounds, and Boyd by first-round pin in the heavyweight division.
Against Upper Lake, there were eight contested weight classes and Lower Lake won six of those. The Cougars prevailed at 138 pounds where Cody Banks beat Garrido 7-5, and 220 pounds where Bradley Sneathen defeated Billings 7-2.
Garrido held a 5-3 lead over Banks late in the match but the Upper Lake sophomore scored a two-point takedown followed by a two-point nearfall to win it.
“Awesome job by Cody,” Fuchs said.
Lower Lake winners were Cruz by third-round pin at 122 pounds, Day by first-round pin at 128 pounds, Kevin Atrisco by 11-3 decision at 140 pounds, Orozco by second-round pin at 154 pounds, Jesse Castellanos by first-round pin at 170 pounds, and Boyd by 19-3 technical fall in the heavyweight division.
In the other team dual, Upper Lake beat Cloverdale 27-6.
All of Lower Lake’s teams – girls, junior varsity and varsity boys – return to action Saturday at the Redwood Empire Classic in Ukiah. The Trojans close out their conference schedule next Wednesday against Middletown and Kelseyville in Kelseyville. Upper Lake’s wrestlers are also traveling to Ukiah on Saturday. The Cougars’ final conference match is next Wednesday against Fort Bragg and Willits in Fort Bragg.
