The CIF wrestling individual postseason officially began this past weekend with league finals, and Valencia High got 10 boys and four girls out of the Coastal Canyon League.
Competing at Camarillo High School on Saturday, the Vikings saw three boys place first: Dayle Cailles at 113 pounds; Slater Hicks at 126 pounds; and Alejandro Navarro at 132 pounds.
Hicks, a state qualifier last year as a freshman, was fifth in the Feb. 5 CalGrappler rankings. The four wrestlers above him and below him in those rankings all placed at the state meet last year.
Navarro cut weight to make it at 132 pounds after wrestling at 138 pounds for most of the season, said Valencia head coach Brian Peterson in a phone interview on Monday.
“He absolutely dominated,” Peterson said, adding that he expects all three of his league champions to keep rolling as the postseason continues.
Placing second were: Victor Feuerman at 138 pounds; Henry Egami at 157 pounds; and Justin Campos at 175 pounds.
Placing third were: Jacob Hernandez at 106 pounds; Denicio Diaz at 120 pounds; Logan Cryer at 144 pounds; and Evan Payne at 150 pounds.
Wrestlers in the finals were guaranteed a spot at the next stage of the postseason, but those in the third-fourth place matches had to win to get an automatic spot.
“That’s the nailbiter, because you want you want your kid to get through,” Peterson said.
Those 10 boys are now set to wrestle in the Northern Division individual championships, set for Friday and Saturday at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach. The top five in each weight class will automatically qualify for the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet, the final stage before the state tournament.
In the girls’ tournament, Alicia Nollau (115 pounds), Juanita Duque Trujillo (125) and Annalise Egami (235) each took second place, while Bianca Sandoval (105) took third place.
Trujillo, a sophomore transfer from Pennsylvania where she was a state champion, was pinned in the championship match. Peterson said she and the other girls will face true tests in the next stage after not having to really wrestle in the league finals.
“They’re gonna see what they can do,” Peterson said. “It’s gonna be really tough for the girls. It’s gonna be a tough road.”
The girls are set to compete at the Central Division individual championships at San Dimas High School on Friday and Saturday. The top eight in each weight class will automatically qualify for the Masters Meet.
