ROSEVILLE — Upper Lake High School’s Maddy Young and Lexy Peregrina held their own and then some against some of the best wrestlers in the state Friday and Saturday during the West Coast Tournament of Champions at the Roebbelen Center in Roseville.
Young, seeded second at 131 pounds, and Peregrina, seeded fourth at 160 pounds, lived up to their seedings by finishing second and fourth, respectively, in a field that included state champions, state placers and state qualifiers from the previous high school season.
Also competing for Upper Lake but not medaling was Tatum Salas at 126 pounds and Kahlei Phelps in the 121-pound junior varsity bracket.
Young
Young, a senior, won each of her first three matches by fall before losing by fall in the 131-pound championship match to Skye Schneider of Elk Grove, who pinned Young late in the second round.
Young, now 15-2 on the year, didn’t start wrestling until last season and while she was one of the strongest competitors in the field, Upper Lake head coach Eddie Peregrina said Schneider is the more seasoned wrestler.
“That girl was sound technically,” Perergina said of Schneider. “Maddy only practices with us two or three days a week because of basketball (she is a member of Upper Lake’s varsity squad), so her technique is something she continues to work on. She’s getting better, but that girl (Schneider) is really good. Strength can only carry you so far.”
Peregrina
Though just a freshman, Lexy Peregrina definitely opened some eyes during a tournament where the top three seeds in her weight class were all nationally ranked 160-pounders.
“For a freshman to place at TOCs is pretty big,” Peregrina said of his daughter’s fourth-place finish, which featured a 4-2 record with three wins by fall and another by decision.
Peregrina’s first loss came in the semifinals against No. 1 seed Kalila Shrive of Merrill West High School by fall. Peregrina advanced to the third-place match through the consolation bracket, losing to Kiulani Garcia of Gilroy High School by 11-0 major decision. Shrive and Garcia are the defending state champion and state runner-up at 160 pounds.
“She’s right there with them,” Peregrina said of his daughter. “People are going to have their hands full with her. I didn’t think was going to get her seeded in the field because she’s a freshman who had only wrestled in two tournaments (before the TOC).”
Peregina is 11-2 on the season.
Salas
Salas, a senior, was the No. 4 seed at 126 pounds. She ended up 3-2 to fall just short of the medal round. She pinned two opponents and won another match by fall. Both of her losses were by fall.
Phelps
Phelps went 1-2 during the tournament in the 121-pound JV weight class. Her only win came by fall and she also lost twice by fall.
Schedule
Upper Lake’s girls return to action Dec. 28 at the Brittany David Invitational in Brentwood.
Boys
Upper Lake’s boys were scheduled to participate in both the Northgate Tournament in Walnut Creek and the Michael Kroppmann Invitational in Lakeport, but ended up just attending the Michael Kroppman because of a coaching shortage.
Nathan Boomer brought home a first-place medal at 152 pounds, going 2-0.
“Keep an eye out for this young, hard-working freshman,” Peregrina said. “He works very hard in and out of the wrestling room. We really look forward to seeing how he does and where he goes in the future on the mat.”
Second-place medals went to Jacob Colcleaser at 145 pounds and Nick Foster at 160 pounds. Colcleaser went 2-1 and Foster 3-2.
Dylan Slater added a third-place medal at 160 pounds, finishing 3-2.
Upper Lake’s boys are back in action Dec. 28 at the Lou Bronzan Invitational in Brentwood.
