Coyotes smash Stallions in 4th Melee
Madera Tribune File Photo
The Madera South wrestling team celebrates with its second place trophy after the Chukchansi Tournament at Madera South High School in 2014.
2011
When the Madera Coyotes and Madera South Stallions faced off in the fourth edition of the intracity rivalry known as the Melee on the Mat, there was a feeling of confidence mixed with concern by Madera head coach Joe Romine.
The confidence was based on the Coyotes’ team championship in the Chukchansi Invitational where they beat the No. 5 team in the state.
And what concern there was quickly vanished as the Coyotes, ranked No. 4 in the Central Section, won their first three matches, and 10 of 14 overall to drop a hammer on the Stallions with a 49-18 victory.
James Valenzuela (132 pounds), C.J. Valenzuela (138) and Isaac Garcia (145) opened with convincing wins via a 15-3 major decision, a second period fall and a 7-3 decision for the Coyotes. Josue Hernandez (152) then stopped the bleeding for the Stallions by recording a second period fall.
Then in a pivotal match between two excellent 160-pound wrestlers, the Stallions’ Charles Yllan defeated Miguel Ruiz 5-2.
Madera’s freshman phenom Alec Gamboa (170) then put on an exhibition, winning 16-0, for a technical fall before the Stallions’ Juan Valladeres (182) in his first match after the Stallion football team’s playoff run ended in the semifinals, pulled out a tough 3-2 decision.
2014
Stallions take 2nd in Chukchansi; Coyotes place 4th
While they aren’t necessarily meteorologists, both head coaches from the Madera and Madera South wrestling teams had forecasted that their guys would be ready to shine heading into the sixth annual Chukchansi Invitational.
For Stallion head coach Sal Gonzalez and Coyote head coach Joe Romine, their predictions weren’t off as both teams had a number of wrestlers sprinkled on the podium during the awards ceremony in the two-day hometown tournament at Madera South.
When the point totals were tallied up on Saturday night, it was Madera South (184.5) that took second overall behind No. 2 state-ranked Buchanan-Clovis (272). The Stallions had nine individuals place in the top eight in their respective weight classes.
“I think our kids were mentally and physically prepared for this tournament,” Gonzalez said. “I think this tournament kind of turned some heads in the community and wrestling atmosphere. We’re a very young team but we were ready to compete. We had an opportunity to win a title, however it slipped by us but we recovered and got second place.”
The Coyotes (126.5) tied for fourth with Frontier-Bakersfield — just a couple of points away from third-place Redwood-Visalia (133). Madera had six wrestlers walk away with medals.
2015
Coyotes, Warriors battle to 1-1 tie
When the Madera boys soccer team faced Hoover-Fresno, it was the third straight North Yosemite League opponent for the Coyotes.
Prior to beating the Patriots, 3-2, in Fresno, Madera hosted back-to-back NYL games against Roosevelt-Fresno and the Fresno Warriors.
With the help of a long, clutch goal by Coyote striker Gerardo Cabrera, Madera avoided falling to 0-2 against the NYL with a 1-1 overtime tie against the Fresno Warriors in Memorial Stadium.
While the Coyotes fired a number of shots and controlled the ball led by senior captain Oswaldo Tornero, Fresno’s acrobatic goalkeeper did everything in his power to stop possible Madera goals including a penalty kick.
Stallions tie Kerman
While a tie is certainly better than a loss, it can sometimes be tough for certain teams to accept.
The Madera South boys soccer team’s latest tie is a perfect example.
Although the Stallions held the Lions to only one goal in regulation, they couldn’t score more than one themselves in a 1-1 tie in their Memorial Stadium opener.
While Kerman is a respectable program and a normal challenger for the North Sequoia League title, head coach Fernando Delgadillo felt his team had the upper edge.
Prior to the match, Madera South gave Dos Pueblos-Goleta — ranked No. 8 in Southern Cal — a run for its money in a 2-1 loss at the recent Cats and Hounds Tournament in Paso Robles.
Against the Lions, the Stallions took a 1-0 lead after Joseph Cuevas blasted a kick on the run for a goal in the 12th minute of the game.
Stallions take third at Chukchansi; Coyotes get sixth
Out of the 50 wrestling squads that represented their respective school in the seventh annual Chukchansi Invitational, the Madera and Madera South teams placed no lower than sixth.
After finishing runner-up last year, the host-team Stallions walked away with another top three finish while the Coyotes took sixth in a tournament that featured many powerhouse programs.
With 164 total points and more pins than Clovis North (164), it was the Dinuba Emperors who claimed the Chukchansi title Saturday at Madera South.
Right behind the two leaders were the Stallions with 161 points — 24 ahead of fourth-place Div. I Buchanan-Clovis.
Madera South’s Augustine “Auggie” Garcia (147 pounds, 1st), Dylan Miracle (162, 2nd) and Miguel Villanueva (287, 2nd) each made it to the finals and five other Stallions placed in the top eight.
Despite losing former Coyote star wrestler and state placer Alec Gamboa, Madera (131.5) proved it belonged up there with the prominent programs in not only the section, but the state after a sixth place finish.
Madera’s Abraham Del Toro (128 pounds, 4th place), Jimmy Costa (122, 5th), Paul Bustos (115, 5th), Moses Contreras (134, 5th), Mario Moreno (108, 8th), Jorge Gonzalez (8th, 147), and Nathan Alvarado (8th, 154) all had top-eight placings.
2017
Stallions get win in overtime
The Madera South Stallions girls basketball team used a scoring burst in overtime to defeat the Coalinga Horned Toads in the first game of the Madera Shootout in Joe Flores Gym.
The Stallions held a 48-47 lead with 9.4 seconds left, but a missed 3-pointer gave the Horned Toads the ball out of bounds with 0.9 seconds left in the game.
Madera South was called for its second delay of game violation and it gave Coalinga two free throws. The Horned Toads missed the first, but made the second to tie the score and force overtime.
A 3-pointer by Lexi Eller with nine seconds left gave the Stallions a 57-54 overtime lead, but Madera South forced Coalinga to throw the ball out of bounds.
On the inbounds, Eller made a layup for the final score of a 59-54 victory.
The Stallions battled back from a nine point halftime deficit and outscored Coalinga by eight in the fourth quarter to take the late lead.
Eller led the Stallions with 20 points. She also had four steals. Aleecia Rosel scored 17 points, including a clutch 3-pointer to get the Stallions back into the game in overtime. She also led the team with eight rebounds.
Kiarra Smith scored 14 points with four 3-pointers. Kim Prudente added six rebounds and three steals despite being the shortest player on the court at times.
Osuna shines in goal-heavy victory
The Madera South Stallions boy’s soccer team continued its strong start to the season with a dominant win over the Fresno High Warriors, 7-1, at Lee DaSilva Field at Memorial Stadium.
The Stallions went into halftime tied at one, but came out of the break inspired, scoring six second half goals in the match.
Osuna paced the Stallions with three goals and an assist. His ability to pull the strings along with his clinical finishing proved to be too much for the Warriors.
Christian Garcia provided a strong presence in all three phases of the match. He was strong in defense, helping the team concede only one goal. He was also instrumental in attack with two goals and two assists.
Liberty scores late for win over Madera
In one of the few sports where Liberty, Madera and Madera South can battle equally together, the Liberty Hawks girls soccer team scored two goals in the final 10 minutes for a 2-0 victory over the Madera Coyotes.
The Hawks got a goal from Brooke Wristen and a penalty kick goal from Holly Strong to win the first installment of the Madera-Liberty-Madera South match-up.
Madera’s Yesenia Montoya and Liberty’s Carly Tynan and Trinity McGuire kept each team off the scoreboard for the first 70 minutes of the match.
However, the Madera defense couldn’t stop the Wristen and Strong connection. Strong set up Wristen for her goal and Wristen’s offensive pressure forced a hand ball in the box to set up Strong’s penalty kick.
