Sutter Middle School, Alpha Dawg wrestlers claim hardware

Sutter Middle School and Alpha Dawg wrestling had some record-setting performances at the Nor Cal Tournament of Champions (TOCs) on Saturday at Del Oro High School and the Girls TOCs on Sunday at Cordova High School. The TOCs are the final tournament in the junior high season and feature top wrestlers from Redding to Bakersfield and everywhere in between. On Saturday, Nox Cruzat went a perfect 5-0 on the day to win Sutter's first championship in school history. Cruzat was dominant, scoring four pins and one technical fall on the day, including one in the finals. Cruzat also became a 3x TOC placer. He was joined by Angelo Cruz as a 3x TOC placer. Cruz went 5-2 for fifth place in his final tournament as a Cougar. Sixth grader Lucas Collier also placed, going 4-2 on the weekend to take seventh. Collier has a chance to join his teammates as a 3x TOC placer. Alpha Dawg also received a 3x TOC placer, as Jordan Yi-Berg went 4-1 for second place to cap off an outstanding junior high career. Joining him in the finals was Rocky Ortiz, who went 4-1 in his first and only trip to TOCs. Duke Hodson claimed fifth with a strong 6-2 record on the weekend, while Modasir Komal went 4-3 for sixth place. On Sunday, Kaileia McFarland gave Sutter its first female TOC champion, going 5-0 and receiving her toughest competition from her teammates. Leni Garcia and Mila Thompson had strong tournaments in taking second with only one loss on the day. Addison Benavides took third, while Avery Leven was fifth and Eliyaana Marquez sixth. Strong collaboration amongst Sutter Middle School and Alpha Dawg wrestlers has aided in these programs standing out as some of the best junior high wrestlers in Northern California.