Troquato perfect in prestigious tournament

PONDEROSA WRESTLER Nick Troquato wraps up Liberty's Tanner Blank in the 182-pound championship match Saturday afternoon at the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament. Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene

SACRAMENTO — Ponderosa High wrestler Nick Troquato capped off a perfect performance Saturday afternoon at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The Bruin pinned Liberty’s Tanner Blank in the 182-pound class in one minute, 50 seconds at the prestigious Tim Brown Memorial Tournament. The victory capped off a good weekend for Troquato, who went 4-0 in the two-day tourney; three of the four wins were by pins. Last year in the tourney, he took sixth place. Troquato improved to 39-1 for the season.

Troquato used a double-high crotch shot to bring down Blank for the win.

“Just trying to stick him,” Troquato said. “I have a couple of moves I use in every match that I’m pretty comfortable with.”

The Bruin was one of two county wrestlers who competed for a title in their weight class. Oak Ridge’s Keaton Subjeck (170s) was the other, losing to Oakmont’s Peter Santos by a 5-1 decision.

Subjeck, who entered the title bout with a 34-1 record, is the kind of grappler who takes charge early and often in his matches, Trojans coach Casey Ryan said. But Santos struck early in the match, using a take down to take a 2-0 lead in the early seconds of the first round

In the same round, Subjeck used an escape to cut Santos’ lead to 2-1. But the Oakmont grappler recorded a take down and escape to registered the last three points for the win.

“That first take down makes it tough because once they get up one on them, then up by two, it’s tough,” said Ryan of Subjeck’s match. “That was a big take down.”

Oak Ridge’s Zach Claiborne (182s) joined Ponderosa’s Colin Hustrulid (132s) as county grapplers who competed for third place. Clairborne posted a 3-1 decision over Pleasant Grove’s Logan Paxton. Hustrulid was pinned by Paradise’s Wyatt Wyckoff in the second round, 3:29 for a fourth place finish.

The Trojans’ Jacob Proul (heavyweight) was the other county grappler who left the Capital City with medal, earning sixth place. The top eight finishers went home with medals.

Posting wins at the tourney but didn’t place were Ponderosa’s Christian Canepa (145s), 3-2, Jeff Camilli (heavyweight), 2-0 and Trae Providence (160s), 3-2. Oak Ridge’s Josh Ploke (106s) joined the pack with a 2-2 mark.

As a team, Ponderosa finished in fourth place with 115.5 points. Oak Ridge was tied for eighth place with Rodriguez at 101.5 points. El Dorado was the third and final county school competing in the tourney, as the Cougars were 65th place with 32.5 points. No Cougar advanced into the second day of the tourney. Clovis West won the tourney with 174 points.

Contact Mike Bush at 530-344-5079 or mbush@mtdemocrat.net. Follow @MBushMtDemo on Twitter. 

BRUIN NICK TORQUATO wrestles his opponent at the Sacramento Convention Center on Saturday. Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene

Mike Bush

Mike Bush has been working at the Mountain Democrat since August 2011. Mike is the Sports Writer and Features Writer.

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