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CHS, CV wrestlers qualify for Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV tourney
Hawks, Bulldogs extend seasons
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Aaron Page and 11 Bulldog wrestlers qualified to compete at the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Championships.

Central Valley's and Ceres High's varsity wrestling teams will be sending a combined 26 grapplers to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division-IV Tournament this week.

"It's great for both of our programs," Hawks head coach Rob Beckhart said. "We have solid wrestlers."

"It shows how tough we are in all weight classes," Bulldogs leader Steve Festa said.

Joaquin Garcia, Gabriel Martinez, Jason Beckhart, Jose Castillo, Christian Oliver, Luis Saucedo, David Lezama, Adrian Badillo, Andrew Marquez, Angel Gonzales and Severo Vazquez will represent Central Valley.

Rudy Gonzales, John Alba, Daniel Raya, Abel Morales, Diego Diaz, Aaron Page, Luis Camarillo, Spencer Nelson, Jaden Cooper, Brian Becerra, Tyler Fleming and Brian Quintanilla will compete for the Bulldogs.

The top four finishers in each weight class at last Friday's Western Athletic Conference Tournament advanced to Divisionals.

Garcia (182 pounds), Martinez (170s), Gonzales (220s), Alba (152s) and Raya (145s) claimed individual titles at the WAC Championship.

Morales (195s), Beckhart (220s), Castillo (138s), Oliver (120s) and Saucedo (113s) had to settle for runner-up honors.

Lezama (285s), Badillo (195s), Marquez (152s), Gonzales (132s), Diaz (170s), Page (126s) and Camarillo (120s) all placed third.

Vazquez (145s), Nelson (160s), Cooper (132s), Becerra (113s) and Fleming (106s) took fourth.

Central Valley's Alex Alvarado and Ryan Hendrix, and Ceres High's Brian Quintanilla, Daniel McElwain and Aiden Moore were named alternates for Divisionals.

Alvarado (160s), Hendrix (126s), Quintanilla (285s), McElwain (182s) and Moore (138s) were fifth in their respective weight classes at the WAC finals.

"Brian will be competing," Festa said. "He already got notice he is in the tournament."

Central Valley placed first with a team score of 233.5 at the conference tournament.

The Hawks finished ahead of Ceres High (220.5), Los Banos (210), Livingston (168), Pacheco (122), El Capitan (121) and Patterson (117).

"The excuses of being new are gone," said Beckhart, head coach of the Hawks for the past five seasons. "People know where we're from. I don't have to answer that question anymore. We have kids from other teams that want to work out with us. It's nice to have that reputation. I give a lot of credit to the Ceres Hawks youth program."

Added Festa: "I'm proud of the result. Our program's getting stronger."