Stallions use home turf for second

Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune

Madera South’s 195-pounder Angel Castellanos works his opponent into a pinning position during Friday’s Div. III Championships at Madera South. Castellanos eventually placed third to help the Stallions to a runner-up team finish.

The Madera South Stallions wrestling team had visions of a Div. III Central Section Championship last week, especially when the championships were moved to Madera South from the previous week.

However, the South-Bakersfield Rebels did just enough to take away the Div. III crown. However, the Stallions did place second in Div. III, just one point ahead of Centennial-Bakersfield on Friday.

The Stallions sent four wrestlers to the finals and Luis Mejia was the only one to capture an individual title. He earned his win with an injury default at 113 pounds.

Joseph Irelan (45 pounds), Isaiah Garza (152) and Jackson Smith (170) each reached the finals.

Angel Castellanos (195) won the consolation championship. Adrian Moreno (106) and Johnathan Spraggins (160) each placed fourth.

The top seven wrestlers advance to Friday and Saturday’s Central Section Master’s Tournament at North High School in Bakersfield.

At 106 pounds, Moreno won his first two matches by pin, but fell to a tight 1-0 decision in the semifinals. In the consolation semifinals, he picked up a pin in just 51 seconds. However, he fell to a 13-1 major decision in the third place match.

Mejia picked up a pin 55 seconds into his first round match. He won his second round match with another pin, this time 32 seconds into the match. His semifinal match lasted a little longer, but still ended with a pin at 43 seconds. He earned the championship with an injury default.

In his four matches. Mejia spent a total of two minutes, 10 seconds wrestling for the championship.

Nathan Leon earned a sixth place for the Stallions at 120 pounds. He won his first match by pin, but lost his quarterfinal match by pin. He won his next two consolation matches by pin and by decision in overtime. He lost in the consolation semifinals by pin and lost in the fifth place match by a 7-4 decision.

Diego Jaimes received a bye into the quarterfinals and picked up a pin just 20 seconds into his 126 pound match. He lost by a 5-0 decision in the semifinals. He lost in the consolation semifinals by pin and suffered a pin in the fifth place match to place sixth.

At 132 pounds, Jose Garcia won his first round match by pin in 34 seconds. He picked up a pin in the quarterfinals, but lost 11-9 in the semifinals. He lost in the consolation semifinals by pin, but won by major decision, 12-0, in the fifth place match.

Irelan advanced to the semifinals with a 4-2 win in the quarters. He won a 5-0 decision in the semifinals, but lost, 4-2, in the finals.

Garza picked up three pins on his way to the championship match, the quickest coming at 1:08. In the finals, Garza lost by pin in the second period.

Spraggins recorded a 6-4 sudden death overtime victory in his first round match. He won by pin in the quarterfinals, but lost by major decision in the semifinals. Spraggins won by pin in the consolation semifinals, but fell by pin in the third place match to place fourth.

Smith didn’t have a match go the distance on his way to a second place finish. He pinned his first round opponent in the second period. he did the same to his quarterfinal opponent. In the semifinals, Smith got the pin with five seconds left in the second period. However, in the championship match, Smith fell by pin in the second period.

Castellanos won by pin in 59 seconds in his first round match. He won his second round match by a second period pin. He lost by pin in the semifinals, but advanced to the third place match with a 4-2 overtime win in the consolation semifinals. He pinned his opponent in 37 seconds to win the third place match.

Robert Navarro won by a 19-8 major decision in his first match at 287 pounds. However, he lost in the quarterfinals by pin. Navarro then picked up a pin in the consolation round, but fell to a first period pin in the next round. He won the seventh place match with a pin in 41 seconds.