Eleven Wrestlers Advance To Arduous CIF Finals, Fighting to Qualify for State
As the wrestling season is nearing a conclusion, AHS wrestler Ethan Tavares aggressively locks his opponent in order to ensure his position in league finals, allowing him qualification to CIF.
MOOR Photo by YIBEI LIU KAYIU WONG
Staff Writer
Finishing the winter season in fourth place, the wrestling team officially ended their season after their Almont League finals on Feb. 1. The finals determined each of the 14 weight classes’ top three wrestlers and ultimately, which wrestlers would advance from league into the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) finals.
Representing AHS are freshmen Brandon Ly, Bobby Ramirez, Patrick Ersig and Gabriel Valenzulea; sophomores Nevin Sanchez, Gage Flores, Gabriel Natera and Damian Rosales; juniors Daven Sanchez and Ethan Tavares and senior Peter Sosa. These athletes have all qualified in this last round of CIF.
During the finals, held on Feb. 21 and 22 at Westminster High School, they will be competing to advance on to State Finals. The CIF finals are held through a double elimination tournament process. The Moors are a part of the CIF’s Coastal Division and will be up against 31 teams from nine different leagues for the first round.
“[Qualifying for CIF] is one of the biggest accomplishments you can have in your athletic career. Being one of the few who made it has been a great accomplishment for me,” Flores said.
Currently, the eleven advancing wrestlers continue to train hard every day in preparing for the finals. According to Sosa, escaping, pinning and tactic drills are a primary focus that Head Coach Michael Williams incorporates during practice.
“The basics and fundamentals win the matches. This year we are going to CIF for experience with so many young wrestlers. Next year we will be tougher, and the year after that, we will be dangerous.” Williams said.