Nine wrestlers advance to Bakersfield

Waldhauser wins Masters title

STOCKTON — In a rematch between the Nos. 2- and 3-ranked wrestlers in the state, Oak Ridge's Vince Waldhauser, 160 pounds, prevailed over McNair's James Wilson 9-3 to win the second Masters championship of his prep career Saturday. Earlier in the season at the Tim Brown Memorial Tournament, Waldhauser defeated Wilson 1-0.

Waldhauser's victory capped two tough days of competition for El Dorado County's 31 wrestlers who qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet at Stockton Arena. At stake were berths in the CIF State Wrestling Championships Friday and Saturday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.

Nine of the 31 advanced led by Waldhauser, the county's lone champion who pinned his first four opponents leading up to the rematch with Wilson. After winning the first match by a single escape point, Waldhauser wasted no time establishing dominance this time around, coming out the back in a scramble and turning on top of Wilson for the first takedown. Wilson escaped but Waldhauser's second takedown put him in the lead 4-1 going into the second period.

Waldhauser reversed from the down position with a front headlock for the only points scored in the second and added to his lead in the third to post the 9-3 win.

"I slowed my pace this time — I mean I controlled the match better," Waldhauser said. "He's good but I was better today. I was stronger. I've had to cut weight but my strength has increased so much this year."

In every big meet there is always an upset that gets the crowd's, the officials' and the wrestlers' attention. Saturday was no different. Trojan sophomore Keaton Subjeck pulled off a stunning upset when he pinned defending state champion David Ferry of Oakdale in the second period of the 145-pound semifinal match. It was his third pin of the tournament and put him in the finals.

"We started the second in neutral and I had an underhook and threw him with an over-under," Subjeck said. "At first I couldn't believe it; it was a definite surprise."

Subjeck met Oakmont's Jake Elliot for the championship, a wrestler he'd lost to twice by scores of 9-4 and 9-2. Elliot, battling a bloody nose throughout the match, still managed to pull out a 7-3 win.

"The first two times I wrestled him I got caught on my back in the first period and I just knew I didn't want to make that mistake this time," said Subjeck, who moves on to the state meet in second.

The only other wrestler in the championship round was Ponderosa senior Alex Greybill (119). Greybill cruised through Friday's rounds with a technical fall and a major decision and pulled out a tight 4-2 win in the quarterfinals.

Saturday morning he earned an 8-1 decision over Folsom's Connor Pollock to set up a bout with returning fifth-place state medalist Martin Ramirez of Elk Grove, who used tilts and cradles to win an 18-4 major decision. Greybill, who took fifth in the 2010 Masters, moves on in second.

In another big upset, Union Mine's Cody Tow, ranked first in the state at 130 pounds, lost a 3-2 decision to Bella Vista's Shayne Tucker, the eventual champion, in the semifinals. Tow came back to win a 12-3 major decision in consolation and won his match with Oakdale's Tanner Feurerstein 3-0 to take third.

"There are some things I can change," said Tow, who is looking to become a four-year state medalist. "I didn't ride him (Tucker) hard enough and I gave up a late reversal and couldn't get away. It cost me the match. It (the loss) builds a fire in me to work harder this week to get ready for state."

Diamondback Sean Tow (140), who has had very little mat time after suffering an injury early in the season, lost his second match Friday and had to battle back in every round in consolation, winning five consecutive decisions to earn a berth in the match for third place. Sean, who took seventh last season, wrapped up the comeback with a 5-2 decision over Shane Keefe of Rocklin.

"Sean wrestled eight matches — more than he's had all season," D'back coach Tim Brown said. "He showed great maturity, poise and determination. One thing you can say about El Dorado County wrestlers, they're not short of grit."

Bruin Allen Emmons needed grit to overcome Union Mine's Mitch Woods in the 171-pound third-place match. Woods' reversal for two points in the second period held up until with seconds left, Emmons tied it with a reversal.

In overtime, Woods tried a throw but in the scramble Emmons scored a takedown for a 4-2 win. He moves on in third while Woods advances in fourth.

It's the first time either wrestler has qualified. Both lost in the semifinals to state-ranked wrestlers — Woods to Vacaville's Hudson Buck and Emmons to Oakdale's Trent Noon, the eventual champion.

"That was mostly a scrambling match and I felt in danger (of losing) at first," Emmons said. "I thought I was in shape until that match. Twelve years of wrestling and I finally made it to state."

Ponderosa's Tim Ditrich (125) found himself in a position he didn't like Saturday — needing a win to qualify for state. Eight medal in each weight but only seven qualify. Ditrich, who was sixth last year, took on Elk Grove's Matt Bettencourt in a must-win match for seventh and came away with a 6-1 victory, giving up just one escape point in the second period.

"Pressure is on when you're going for seventh," Ditrich said.

Bruin teammate Riley Nooner (285) lost his second match Friday and came back through consolation to take seventh with a 3-2 sudden-death victory in the fourth overtime period.

El Dorado sophomore Kyle Ferguson (130), the only other county wrestler to make it to the second day, lost his first match Saturday to fall out of contention.

"He had 12 ranked wrestlers in his weight class but he did a great job," Cougar coach Dave Pimentel said.

Note: Ponderosa's Erik Greybill (112), who won the Sac-Joaquin Division I title last weekend, had to forfeit due to injury.