Mat league champions crowned with sections on the horizon

League wrestling championships were decided this past weekend with the top finishers qualifying for the Sac-Joaquin Section Divisional championships set for this weekend. All divisional rounds will be held Friday and Saturday. Division I championships will be held at Del Oro, D-II at River Valley, D-III at Oakdale, D-IV at Beyer and D-V at Rosemont. Oakmont had five first-place finishers in the Foothill Valley League finals. Senior Kyle Obien was named Outstanding Wrestler among lightweights, winning the 122-pound bracket for Oakmont. Sean Myles (172), Danny Myles (128), James Mintmier (184) and Ben Murphy (134) all won for the Vikings. Oakmont had runner-up finishes from freshman Tanner Stone (108) and sophomore Henry Ganzorig (147). Also qualifying for Divisionals for the Vikings are Jayce O'Connell (115), Stephen Lundquist-Brewer (140) and Yuvaj Singh (162). Lincoln senior Lucas Cook, who ranks fifth overall in California in the latest rankings from The California Wrestler, was the Outstanding Wrestler at the heavyweight division. The Fighting Zebras got runner-up finishers in sophomore Lucas Chao (115), Peyton Raper (134), junior Daniel Palmer (154) and sophomore Ediberto Calixto (222). Lincoln will also send freshman Jesus Juarez (108), sophomore Gabriel Burns (140), freshman Rex Watts (147) and senior Jalen Hill (172) to the divisional round. Placer will send 10 of its grapplers to the D-III finals, including senior River Rogers (140), juniors Jonathon Griffith (115), Logan Moon (122), Justus Haskin (128), Mason Packheiser (147), Ethan Basque (154), Aidan Alvarez (162) and Alejandro Rosales (287), sophomore Macoy Reed (134) and freshman Grant Eklund (108). Del Oro dominates SFL finals Del Oro came away with the lion's share of winners in the Sierra Foothill League finals, where the top 5 finishers in each class head to the D-I championships, which will also be held at Del Oro. The eight winners for the Golden Eagles included Klay Browning (120), Damion Elliot (126), Cesar Jaimes (132), Evan Ivaldi (138), Eli Blake (145), Jed Campos (152), Colton Guthrie (182) and Tyler Randall (285). Other placers for the Golden Eagles included Eli Honsa (106), Matt Cioci (160), Kai Acia (170) and Reagan Arney (195). Folsom had three league champions in Julio Bautista (106), Toure Hendrick (160) and Matt Kovalskiy (220). Whitney's Jacob Barquet (170) was voted the Outstanding Wrestler for the tournament. The Wildcats also qualified Alan Boynton (113), Angel Chavez (120), Jake McKee (132), Logan Chapman (160), Matt Sherer (182), Jacob Rubalcava (195) and Drew Moulton (220) for the divisional tourney. Granite Bay will send 12 grapplers to the D-I finals, including 113 winner Talon Niimi, Ben Quilpa (106), Luke Randolph (120), Gabe Jensen (126), Liam Dunn (132), Nariaki Fujita (138), Anthony Perez (145), Azary Matsuda (152), Mason Wilcox (160), Derrall Sheldon (182), Elias Mendoza (195) and Anthony Hastings (285). Rocklin also sends 12 to the section's divisional round. The Thunder qualified league runners-up Eli Hardy (132), Will Gladden (138), Fernando Pelayo (145), Blake Haydn-Myer (160), Nick Molina (182), Nick Johnson (220) and Bobby Piland (285) along with Caleb Aguiling (106), Evan Tablada (113), John Mateush (126), Josh Pitts (152) and Kaiden Baker (170). Oak Ridge's Kaden West was the winner at 195. Bruins well-repped from PVL The Bear River Bruins, co-champions of the Pioneer Valley League in the regular season, will send 10 wrestlers to Rosemont High for the D-V championships. Ashlyn Canizalez took first place at 120 for her second PVL title. Canizalez is among the top girls wrestlers in the section. Also heading to the divisional finals from Bear River are Beau Spence (106), Caleb McGehee (113), Derek Warner (126), Kayd Figueroa (132), Jacob Sutherland (145), Jacob Vaughan (152), Gabe Ellis (160), Zach Arreguin (195) and Tyler Dzioba (225). "All of our wrestlers have a chance to move on, but they will have to bring their 'A' game to do so," said Bear River coach Kevin Figueroa.