FRESNO— The Gladiators competed in Fresno over the weekend of March 9 and 10 as 16 Gladiators competed at the California USA Kids Folkstyle State Championships. Of the 16 wrestlers, 12 of them competed at state for the first time. The tournament featured over 1,300 wrestlers from across the state of California. Seven Gladiators finished on the podium marking the first time in the clubs 2 year history that a wrestler placed at the state tournament.
Those that placed at state include Riley Givens (3rd), Zamod Jackson (5th), Brantley Paminto (6th), Kailaya Philpot (6th), Kaitlyn Crow (6th), Colin Crow (7th), and Thomas Philpot (7th).
“This tournament is one, if not the toughest tournaments these kids will compete at in the state of California. A lot of the brackets featured 32 man brackets with a bunch of experienced wrestlers so winning a match alone is a tall task. Fresno and the surrounding area is the mecca of California wrestling so the competition was fierce. To only having two wrestlers compete at the tournament last year to bringing 16 and placing 7 this year shows the level of commitment and dedication that each wrestler shows and support they received from their families and community to allow them to compete,” said Coach Peter Stephan.
“The tournament is a great experience for the club because you see some very high level wrestling. Just walking into the Selland Arena will make many in awe of the building and it’s a lot to take in, especially for competing there your first time.” Added Coach Peter
There’s a lot to be proud about for each wrestler who stepped on the mat but two wrestlers to highlight are Riley Givens and Zamod Jackson. Of the 16 who competed only Riley and Zamod are 8th graders which means this is the last year with the club before joining the high school team next season.
Riley had an outstanding tournament and we are so proud of what she has accomplished this year. Losing her first match, she had to battle in the consolation side of the bracket. She poured it on her next three opponents pinning all three to take home the prestigious California Bear Trophy with her 3rd place finish.
“Riley began her wrestling career in 6th grade with the Konocti Rams middle school wrestling team and later joined the Gladiators when she was in 7th grade. To see the amount of progress she has done with just a couple years of experience is hard to believe. She pushes herself to the limit at each practice and has stepped in as a leader of the team. She also has become an inspiration for girls wrestling. Girls wrestling is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing sports among girls sports and it has been amazing to see her be a role-model to other girls who are new to the sport. Riley will be deeply missed as she moves over to high school but we appreciate all that she has achieved with the club.
Zamod Jackson also had an outstanding tournament as he competed in a 32 man bracket and had to battle back in the consolations when he lost his first match. He won his next four matches to reach the consolation semis where he lost 0-2 to the same wrestler he lost to earlier. Zamod went on to pin his final opponent in the first minute to claim 5th place.
“Zamod first starting wrestling when he attend Burns Valley After School wrestling program back in 2020 when he was in 4th. Unfortunately Covid shut things down and it wasn’t until Zamod was in the 6th grade where he joined his teammate Riley with the middle school wrestling team. He then joined the Gladiators In 7th grade.” Stated Coach Stephan.
“Zamod wrestles hard and shows a ton of strength and heart in his matches. He has accomplished a lot in just a few years. It’s not going to be easy to see him leave the practice room but we are also excited to see him compete in high school. We appreciate everything he has done for the club.”
The Gladiators second season officially came to an end. They will resume in October. If you are interested in learning more about the Gladiator Wrestling Club, you can follow Gladiator Wrestling on Facebook, visit gladiatorwrestlingclub.org or email them at gladiatorwrestling22@gmail.com
