Coaches Steve Vieira and Josh Leslie, and members of the Ceres High wrestling team gathered beside the visitor's bleachers in the Downey High School gymnasium on Wednesday night. The brief meeting took place after the Bulldogs suffered their first loss in league.
"Overall, I can't complain," Vieira said. "For the most part, they gave their best effort and tried hard."
Downey won 10 of 14 matches, including six by pin, three by decision and one by forfeit, en route to a 51-19 win over Ceres.
"There's a lot of matches we could have and should have won," said Ceres senior Johnny Bridges. "We just had a bad day as a team."
Downey improved to 2-1 in the Modesto Metro Conference.
Ceres fell to 2-1 in the league standings.
"We want to win league and we still can," Bridges said.
Ahead 16-15, the Bulldogs lost seven of the final eight matches.
"We could have beat them," Vieira said. "We let up towards the end a little bit and they kept on coming."
Ceres freshman Jason Hardenbergh pinned Downey's Lydia Navarro with nine seconds remaining in the second round of the 103-pound match. Neither wrestler scored in the first round.
Bridges edged Downey's Daniel Ippolito 10-7 in the 112-pound match. Bridges outscored Ippolito 5-2 in the first round. He led 8-6 at the end of the second round.
"In my eyes, I knew we were the two best 112 pounders in league," Bridges said. "And I beat him."
Added Vieira: "He got the takedown at the end and finished strong."
Bridges' performance was quite impressive considering he just returned to the lineup. He had just one day of practice.
"I got suspended but it's all behind me now," Bridges said.
Ceres freshman Kyle Curry lost by pin to Downey's Bryan Conrad with 55 seconds remaining in the first round of the 119-pound match.
Ceres freshman Mike Tubera lost by pin to Downey's Tony Fernandes with 1:37 remaining in the second round of the 125-pound match. Tubera trailed 6-1 at the end of the first round.
At 130 pounds, Ceres freshman Louis Bracamonte lost 9-3 to Downey's Erik Fidalgo. Ahead 9-3, Fidalgo avoided getting pinned by Bracamonte in the final 40 seconds.
Ceres freshman Tony Chavez pinned Downey's Andrew Rivera with 1:05 remaining in the second round at 135 pounds. Chavez led 5-3 at the end of the first round.
Ceres sophomore Marc Dias lost by pin to Downey's Jed Baker with 47 seconds remaining in the third round at 140 pounds. Dias trailed 3-0 at the end of the second round. Neither wrestler scored in the first round.
Ceres sophomore Jake Keidel lost 17-16 to Downey's Miguel Reyes at 145 pounds. A flurry of moves were made in the final 30 seconds. Down 15-13, Keidel earned one point for an escape and two points for a takedown to take a 16-15 lead. Reyes responded and won the match with a two-point reversal.
Ceres sophomore Zack Van Wagoner cruised to an 11-3 victory over Justin Thomas at 152 pounds. Van Wagoner outscored Thomas 5-2 in the first round. He led 7-2 heading into the third round.
Ceres freshman Steven Chavez lost by pin to Downey's Daniel Cook with 1:30 remaining in the third round at 160 pounds. Chavez trailed 9-0 at the end of the second round.
Ceres freshman Anthony Martinez lost 6-1 to Downey's Garrett Taylor at 171 pounds.
Ceres sophomore Justin Larson lost by pin to Brandt Anderson with 38 seconds remaining in the first round at 189 pounds.
Downey's Josh Wilson won by forfeit at 215 pounds.
Ceres sophomore Nathan Niemeyer lost by pin to Downey's Casey Carver with 28 seconds remaining in the second round at 275 pounds. Niemeyer trailed 2-0 at the end of the first round. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
"Overall, I can't complain," Vieira said. "For the most part, they gave their best effort and tried hard."
Downey won 10 of 14 matches, including six by pin, three by decision and one by forfeit, en route to a 51-19 win over Ceres.
"There's a lot of matches we could have and should have won," said Ceres senior Johnny Bridges. "We just had a bad day as a team."
Downey improved to 2-1 in the Modesto Metro Conference.
Ceres fell to 2-1 in the league standings.
"We want to win league and we still can," Bridges said.
Ahead 16-15, the Bulldogs lost seven of the final eight matches.
"We could have beat them," Vieira said. "We let up towards the end a little bit and they kept on coming."
Ceres freshman Jason Hardenbergh pinned Downey's Lydia Navarro with nine seconds remaining in the second round of the 103-pound match. Neither wrestler scored in the first round.
Bridges edged Downey's Daniel Ippolito 10-7 in the 112-pound match. Bridges outscored Ippolito 5-2 in the first round. He led 8-6 at the end of the second round.
"In my eyes, I knew we were the two best 112 pounders in league," Bridges said. "And I beat him."
Added Vieira: "He got the takedown at the end and finished strong."
Bridges' performance was quite impressive considering he just returned to the lineup. He had just one day of practice.
"I got suspended but it's all behind me now," Bridges said.
Ceres freshman Kyle Curry lost by pin to Downey's Bryan Conrad with 55 seconds remaining in the first round of the 119-pound match.
Ceres freshman Mike Tubera lost by pin to Downey's Tony Fernandes with 1:37 remaining in the second round of the 125-pound match. Tubera trailed 6-1 at the end of the first round.
At 130 pounds, Ceres freshman Louis Bracamonte lost 9-3 to Downey's Erik Fidalgo. Ahead 9-3, Fidalgo avoided getting pinned by Bracamonte in the final 40 seconds.
Ceres freshman Tony Chavez pinned Downey's Andrew Rivera with 1:05 remaining in the second round at 135 pounds. Chavez led 5-3 at the end of the first round.
Ceres sophomore Marc Dias lost by pin to Downey's Jed Baker with 47 seconds remaining in the third round at 140 pounds. Dias trailed 3-0 at the end of the second round. Neither wrestler scored in the first round.
Ceres sophomore Jake Keidel lost 17-16 to Downey's Miguel Reyes at 145 pounds. A flurry of moves were made in the final 30 seconds. Down 15-13, Keidel earned one point for an escape and two points for a takedown to take a 16-15 lead. Reyes responded and won the match with a two-point reversal.
Ceres sophomore Zack Van Wagoner cruised to an 11-3 victory over Justin Thomas at 152 pounds. Van Wagoner outscored Thomas 5-2 in the first round. He led 7-2 heading into the third round.
Ceres freshman Steven Chavez lost by pin to Downey's Daniel Cook with 1:30 remaining in the third round at 160 pounds. Chavez trailed 9-0 at the end of the second round.
Ceres freshman Anthony Martinez lost 6-1 to Downey's Garrett Taylor at 171 pounds.
Ceres sophomore Justin Larson lost by pin to Brandt Anderson with 38 seconds remaining in the first round at 189 pounds.
Downey's Josh Wilson won by forfeit at 215 pounds.
Ceres sophomore Nathan Niemeyer lost by pin to Downey's Casey Carver with 28 seconds remaining in the second round at 275 pounds. Niemeyer trailed 2-0 at the end of the first round. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier
