Team members bring home multiple first-place medals
CLEARLAKE >> Members of the Gladiators Wrestling Club competed at tournaments in Roseville, Willits and Orangevale over the weekend, capping a busy two days of activity for the 31 wrestlers involved.
Willits
Seventeen Gladiators participated in the Tom Tilton Novice Tournament on Sunday in Willits and 16 finished either first, second or third.
“This was a great opportunity for our first- and second-year wrestlers to get some matches with other new wrestlers,” Gladiators head coach Peter Stephan said. “The kids wrestled great, showed awesome sportsmanship and had a fun time competing.”
First-place medals went to Michael Garner, who went 2-0 with two pins; Adin Griffen, 2-0 with one pin; Leroy Hopkins, 5-0 with three pins; Ethan Cruz, 3-0 with two pins; and Logan Olivares, 3-0 with one pin. Hopkins finished first in two divisions.
“It also happens to be each wrestler’s first time taking first place this season,” Stephan said.
Second-place medals went to Wade Drew, Alyssa Hopkins, Jaxden Maitland, Julian Cruz, Judah O’Keefe and John Young.
Placing third were Olyver and Kylie Dugger, Cameryn Gamble-Ray, Riley Ganer and Aiden Madrid.
Jason Nehring came in fourth.
Orangevale
Thirteen Gladiators traveled to Orangevale on Sunday for the SAWA Santa Smackdown. Santa hats were awarded to five Gladiators who took first place. Five others came in second and one took third.
Firsts went to Colin Crow, who went 3-0 with two pins; Gary Oakes, 4-0 with three pins; Brantley Paminto, 3-0 with three pins; Brayden Paminto, 4-0 with three pins; and Elijah Tucker, 5-0 with two pins and one technical fall. Tucker was first in two divisions.
Brantley Paminto is now 32-3 overall and Colin Crow (30-11) also scored his 30th victory of the season.
Second-place medals went to Kaitlyn Crow, Lilly Oakes, Alley Oaks and Maverick Paminto, who placed second in two divisions.
Branson Whittle came in third.
Fourth-place finishers were Brian Cosigua, Hayden Janssen and Logun Whittle.
Roseville
Kailaya Philpot pinned her first two opponents Saturday during the WWCTOC All-Girls Tournament in Roseville, a competition that featured college, high school and middle school wrestlers.
Philpot pinned her first two opponents to reach the semifinals before losing her next two matches. She finished in the top six in the 119-pound weight class and is currently 27-14 on the season with 24 pins.
The Gladiators return to action Saturday in Willows.
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