LGHS WRESTLING CONTINUES TO HIT MILESTONES

Wildcats score program record points in CCS Finals

Emanuel Lee, Sports Editor

Two weeks after breaking the points record in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League Finals, the Los Gatos High wrestling team continued its historic season with a second-place finish in the Central Coast Section Masters Finals Feb. 18 at Watsonville High.

The Wildcats established a program record with 228.5 points in the CCS Finals in finishing as the runner-up to champion Gilroy, which totaled 279 points. They also set a program record for placers (10) and State qualifiers (nine).

Los Gatos did it with a deep lineup that included individual CCS champions Antonio Rodriguez at113 pounds, EJ Parco (145) and DylanPile (160).

Oleksandr Nyzhnyk placed second at195 pounds and the team’s depth reallyshowed as it had a bounty of third-placefinishers in Joseph Pavlov-Ramirez(126), Peter Bowen (132), Timmy Murabito(138), Anthony Pavlov-Ramirez(152) and Om Shastri (220).

Lucas Pannell took fourth at 170 toround out the placers. The top three ineach weight class advance to the CIFState Championships Feb. 23-25 atMechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield.Parco repeated as a CCS champion indominant fashion, recording a 13-4major decision victory over Palma’sEthan Gonzalez in the 145-poundtitle match.

In six contested matches spanningthe CCS Northern Regionals and theMasters Finals, Parco recorded threewins via pinfall—all in the first period—two technical fall wins and themajor decision. Dominating would bean apt description of his performance.

“This year I’m a little more seasoned.I know my stuff better, moreexperience, my pace is better,” saidParco, who entered the week rankedNo. 3 in the state in his weight class.“I was loose and focused on myselfand what I needed to do in eachmatch. I worked a lot over the summeron technique and hand fighting,and been doing a lot of extra workand getting my cardio up. … I lovebeing a part of Los Gatos wrestling.My teammates are great, and ourcoach [Greg Varela] is one of the bestcoaches in the U.S.”

Pile, a sophomore, is fulfilling thegreat expectations Varela had for himupon entering high school. However,Pile’s entire freshman season waswiped out due to an injury, and Varelapraised Pile for getting after it inrehab, in the wrestling room and inevery aspect of the sport to becomea championship athlete. Pile was involvedin a tight contest with Gilroy’sTravis Grace, eventually winning by a4-2 decision.

Pile trailed 2-0 early in the secondperiod before scoring on a reversallater in the period to make it 2-2. Thesophomore scored again on a reversalearly in the third, then rode Grace outthe rest of the period to victory. Thetwo have proven to be the best in theCCS this season, which made for atremendous contest.

“The match was tough,” said Pile,who is ranked No. 2 in the state. “He’sreally strong so the key was avoidingall of his dive attacks. He kept shootingand shooting and I kept fendinghim off. He went after me but I justhad a bigger gas tank and lasted longer.And riding on top was key, too.I’m really excited and it was awesometo win CCS.”

Freshman sensation Rodriguez, No.2 in the state at 113 pounds, was facinga formidable opponent in MontaVista’s Hayden Ancheta, ranked No.5. Rodriguez beat Ancheta 3-1 in theNorthern Regional final, then delivereda dominant performance in theMasters Final with a 4-0 victory.

Rodriguez scored on a takedownand reversal and was in controlthroughout. He never was close toallowing a takedown against a verytough opponent. Parco said it’s alwaysa huge boost to a team to see afreshman display so many skills andcompete at a high level.

“Antonio definitely brings a lot ofgood things to the team,” Parco said.“Especially seeing someone that youngexcel at that level.”

Parco and Pile are training partnersand the two have definitely sharpenedand toughened each other to win CCSand a possible podium finish at State.Pile definitely piled—no pun intended—on the CCS competition. In eightmatches spanning the Regionals andMasters, Pile won six via pinfall andteched another opponent.

“I train with EJ everyday and wepush each other really hard,” Pilesaid. “The Los Gatos wrestling roomis great. I love it and it’s like a family.”