UNION CITY — Quintin Vilmenay of Lower Lake High School won all three of his matches in the 132-pound weight class Friday to reach the semifinals of the North Coast Section Boys Wrestling Championships at James Logan High School in Union City.
Vilmenay, a senior, is the only Lake County wrestler still in the running for a section championship although seven other county wrestlers, three of whom reached the quarterfinals before losing, still have the opportunity to place as high as second and reach the CIF State Championships beginning next Thursday in Bakersfield.
Only the top two finishers in each weight class advance to state this year, a change from past seasons when the top three made it. Wrestlers who go undefeated in the consolation bracket of each weight class Saturday, the final day of the competition, will have the opportunity to wrestle for second place against the loser of the championship bracket match – also known in wrestling circles as true-second place.
Joining Vilmenay in advancing to day two of sections are Kelseyville’s Triton Marlowe (2-1 at 220 pounds) and Travis Boyles (2-1 at 113 pounds); Middletown’s Dominick Clark (2-1 at 113 pounds) and Steven Peterson (3-1 at 195 pounds); Clear Lake’s Liam Davis (3-1 at 160 pounds) and Ayden Williamson (3-1 at 138 pounds); and Lower Lake’s Arturo Gudino (3-1 at 106 pounds).
Vilmenay
Vilmenay draws No. 1 seed Josh Hannan of Arcata in the 132-pound semifinals on Saturday. A win puts him into the finals.
Lower Lake’s standout wrestler reached the semifinals by pinning each of his first three opponents, including a third-round fall against Vincent Tyrell of Ukiah in the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinalists
At 113 pounds, Kelseyville’s Boyles and Middletown’s Clark both won their first two matches before losing in the quarterfinals. Boyles lost by 15-0 technical fall to Arcata’s Dakota Sanders while Clark was pinned in the third round by Kekoa Madayag of Novato.
Marlowe also won his first two matches, both by pin, before losing a hard-fought 5-2 decision to Stefan Bakley of De La Salle High School (Concord) in the quarterfinals.
Consolation wins
Lower Lake’s Gudino at 106 pounds, Williamson at 138 pounds, Davis at 160 pounds and Peterson at 195 pounds all won their first matches before falling in the second round. All four wrestlers bounced back with two wins apiece in the consolation bracket.
Medals
The top eight wrestlers in each weight class win highly coveted section medals. Vilmenay, Boyles and Clark all won medals a year ago, Vilmenay placing fifth at 126 pounds, Boyles taking seventh at 106 pounds, and Clark placing eighth at 113 pounds.
Streak
If Vilmenay secures a section medal again this year, and he’s well on his way, it will mark the 13th consecutive year (not counting 2021 when the tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic) Lower Lake has come away with at least one section medal.
