BRENTWOOD >> Four Clear Lake High School wrestlers made it to day two of the Lou Bronzan Invitational Monday and Tuesday at Liberty High School in Brentwood, and two walked off the mats with eighth-place medals at the early season test for North Coast Section grapplers.
Adrian Truby went 3-3 overall in the 16-man bracket at 106 pounds to finish eighth. His three losses were the to the eventual fourth-, fifth- and seventh-place wrestlers.
Liam Davis went 4-3 in a 37-man bracket to place eighth at 152 pounds, all three of his losses coming to other 152-pound medalists. He had to forfeit his seventh-place match because of an injury.
Also reaching the second day of the tournament were 132-pound Mohammed Akbari at 132 pounds and Tony Gersalia at 182 pounds.
Akbari went 3-2 in his 38-man bracket, knocking off one section-ranked wrestler along the way. His two losses were to the fifth- and sixth-place medalists.
Gersalia went 2-2 in a 28-man bracket, his losses coming to the fourth- and fifth-place medalists.
“This was our first real test of the season and now these kids have a better understanding of what this sport looks like at the higher levels,” Clear Lake head coach Tyler Hayes said. ” It will be up to them to pick up the pieces, formulate goals for the remainder of the season and work hard to achieve them. Some of our more seasoned wrestlers got to knock the rust off and wrestled quite well. ”
Added Hayes, “Davis suffered a tough loss in the championship rounds but came back to dominate the next three matches before sustaining an elbow injury in his sixth match of the tournament, ultimately leading to forfeiting the seventh/eighth-place match. Truby, Gersalia and Akbari made waves in their respective weights.”
Girls
Clear Lake also entered two of its girls into the Brittany David Invitational on Tuesday at the same location as the Lou Bronzan Invitational.
Emily Gersalia went 2-2 at 111 pounds, one of her losses coming to the eighth-place medalist. Sophie Percaccio went 0-2, including a loss in her first match to the No. 1 seed and eventual winner at 116 pounds.
“These girls had some tough competition,” Clear Lake assistant coach Gerard Fowler said. “Sophia drew the No. 1 seed and eventual champion in her first match followed by the eventual eighth-place finisher. She’s a tough girl and will push herself to the next levels of the sport.
“Emily wrestled extremely well for only attending a practice or two this season. She is a multi-sport athlete and to my dismay dedicates most of her time to basketball. I coached her in middle school and I know If she decides to dedicate herself to wrestling she’d be a force to be reckoned with in our section this season,” Fowler added.
