Fresno City wins third straight CCCAA Team Dual State Championship

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Boasting four wrestlers that are currently ranked #1 in their respective weight classifications in their lineup, the Fresno City College wrestling team captured their third consecutive CCCAA Team Dual State Championship on Sunday night. The Rams, ranked #1 in the state, defeated #2-ranked Cerritos College, 30-8 in the championship match in Norwalk. Fresno City won all three of their titles against the Falcons, while this was the fourth straight season the two squared off in the state championship match.

125 Pounds - Mario Moreno (FCC) def. Jonathan Prata (CERR), 5-2
In the opening match of the night, the #2-ranked Moreno handed #1-ranked Prata his first loss of the season. Prata got the scoring started with an early takedown in the first period. After Moreno worked out of the hold, he scored a reversal with 24 seconds left in the first period to take a 3-2 advantage. Starting the second period in the down position, Moreno added to his lead with an escape point and then rode Prata for the entire two-minute third period to add a riding time point to the final score.

133 Pounds - Andres Gonzales (CERR) def. Louie Bravo (FCC), 9-4
Gonzalez held a 4-0 lead after the first two periods on the strength of two takedowns, with the third period accounting for most of the scoring. It was a 5-0 lead for the #2-ranked Gonzales until Bravo, who's ranked #3, recorded a takedown with 1:49 left in the match. Just 20 seconds later, Gonzales secured his victory with a reversal for a 7-2 lead. Although he surrendered a reversal with eight seconds left, Gonzales was able to escape and add a riding time point for the victory.

141 Pounds - Isaiah Mora (CERR) def. Anthony Chavez (FCC), 9-7 (ot)
In an upset, unranked Mora was able to hold off a late charge by the #2-ranked Chavez and settled for an overtime period. Mora came out quick in the match and took a 4-2 lead after the first period. Never tailing in the match, Mora took a 7-4 lead in the third period after a takedown with 1:28 left in regulation. Chavez was able to secure a reversal with 1:10 left in the clock and then received a point for riding time, which sent the match to a 1:00 overtime period. With 27 seconds left in the period, Mora was able to secure the leg of Chavez and worked it into a takedown for the win and a 6-3 team score lead.

149 Pounds - Daniel Ruiz (FCC) pinned V'ante More (CERR), 3:53
The Rams took the team scoring lead then they received six team points for a pin, while the Falcons were penalized a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct. In the match, #1-ranked Ruiz scored a takedown and two-point nearfall in the first period, while in the second period, he got Moore on his back after escaping from the down position and scoring another takedown. The match ended in the second period with 1:07 remaining on the clock.

157 Pounds - Larry Rodriguez (CERR) def. Josh McMillon (FCC). 11-5
In another match pitting the top two wrestlers in their respective weight classes, #1-ranked Rodriguez broke open a close 5-4 lead after two periods. With 1:18 left in the third period, Rodriguez extended his lead with a nice flip move for a takedown and then added a two-point nearfall for a 9-4 advantage. After an escape by #2-ranked McMillon, Rodriguez capped off the scoring with a takedown in the final 12 seconds. At this point, the Falcons were down in the team scoring, 9-8. 

165 Pounds - Augie Garcia (FCC) pinned Drake De La Cruz (CERR), 3:59
The Rams opened up a 15-8 team score lead when #2-ranked Garcia pinned unranked De La Cruz in 3:59. It would start a string of five straight wins for Fresno City to close out the match. A takedown in the first six seconds for Garica gave him a quick 2-0 lead, with De La Cruz staying close with an escape point before the end of the period. Starting in the up position to begin the second period, De La Cruz was reversed by Garcia, who worked to get the advantage and pinned De La Cruz's shoulders with 1:01 remaining in the second period.

174 Pounds - Arturo Rivas (FCC) def. Bryab Samayoa (CERR), 10-4
A strong first period by #1-ranked Rivas gave him a 6-1 lead over unranked Samayoa, which included a quick takedown and two-point nearfall within the first 48 seconds of the match. Continuing to battle, Samayoa almost caught Rivas off-balance in the second period, but would eventually get taken down twice in the period and was down, 10-3 heading into the final period. The referee awarded Samayoa a point when Rivas was called for stalling, which rounded out the scoring in the match. With three matches remaining, the Rams extended their lead to 18-8.

184 Pounds - Daniel Long (FCC) technical fall over Angel Verduzco (CERR), 16-1
In a match that lasted just one period, #3-ranked Long got Verduzco in an dangerous position and utilized it to register three consecutive four-point nearfalls. The #3-ranked Long secured his first nearfall with 1:09 left in the period to make it a 6-0 match, and put unranked Verduzco's shoulders on the mat long enough for the four-point move two more times over the span of 12 seconds. After finally escaping with :25 seconds left in the period, Verduzco was then taken down at the buzzer, which ended the match on the technical fall.

197 Pounds - Jack Kilner (FCC) def. Hamzah Al-Saudi (CERR), 9-0
Top-ranked Kilner was able to get the advantage on #3-Al-Saudi with a first period takedown, and then added a quick escape point to start the second period and followed with a takedown with just under a minute left in the period. Al-Saudi had a hard time getting in position to get a comeback started and was forced to try and work out of the holds provided by Kilner. A third period takedown by Kilner was the third of the match, while scoring an extra point due to riding time to cap off the scoring.

285 Pounds - Armando Barcenas (FCC) def. Randy Arriaga (CERR), 5-3
In the final match of the night, Barcenas got an early edge on the #2-ranked Arriaga with a takedown, while a quick escape cut the 2-0 lead in half. An early escape point from Arriaga tied the match at 2-2 in the second period, with the two wrestlers unable to change that score the rest of the period. Top-ranked Barcenas took a 3-2 lead with his third period escape, with Arriaga looking to score a takedown, which would give him the lead. But with time running out, Barcenas came up with a scoring move and posted a takedown for a 5-2 lead with 43 seconds left in the match. Needing a takedown to tie the match after an escape with 32 seconds remaining, #1-ranked Barcenas was able to hold off Arriaga for the win.

Photos by Daryl Peterson