Carlmont grapplers claim PAL boys’ title

Carlmont secured the boys’ tournament championship despite not topping the podium in a single weight class. Gabriel Osorio and Alexander Virnich led the way, each advancing to the finals. Osorio took second place in the 108-pound division, while Virnich took second at 122s.

“A lot of hard work, a lot of people,” Carlmont coach Ricardo Garcia said. “Mostly sophomores.”

Carlmont finished the day with 182 points, topping second-place Half Moon Bay with 133. Capuchino took third place with 113 points; El Camino was fourth with 111; and Burlingame was fifth with 102.

Half Moon Bay — paced by individual champions Renee Navarrete (147s) and Pluto Halterman (172s) — retained the girls’ tournament championship with 102 points. San Mateo took second with 85 1/2 points, while Terra Nova was third with 76 1/2. It was quite an accomplishment for HMB, seeing as coaches Ronnie Ekis and Sam Temko only had seven girls on the varsity roster this season.

“We only had seven girls competing,” Temko said. “So, we had half a team, and the girls just showed up and did really well.”

Osorio rebounds

Osorio set the tone for Carlmont with his win in the semifinals over Burlingame’s Dmitry Kuksin. The two had met in the regular season, with Kuksin securing a 6-5 victory on the scorecards. This time around, Osorio rebounded to earn a major decision to advance to the finals.

“My mindset was just take as many takedowns as I possible could, and get myself up there,” Osorio said.

Osorio scored early with a double-league takedown — “my favorite takedown by far,” he said — and then worked his opponent on the mat to earn two stall calls. After another double-leg takedown, Osorio was able to put Kuksin on his back to earn the 14-4 major decision score. 

Osorio said he was grateful to his coaches, Garcia and Joe Patane. The duo rejuvenated the Carlmont wrestling program in 2019-20, restarting it after a near 40-year absence.

“They always has this one quote ... ‘the homework always has to be harder than the task,’” Osorio said.

Elco boys claim three titles

El Camino opened the championship round in grand style, capturing three of the first four individual titles on the day. The Colts opened with Niko Selianitis prevailing at 108s, pinning Osorio in the first round.

Then Elco went back-to-back, with Michael Schliewe earning the championship at 122s with a first-round pin of Virnich. At 128s, El Camino’s Jhey Sarique won the crown with a 4-2 decision against Carlmont’s Brandon Osorio.

“We all put in the work,” Sariquey said. “We’ve seen each others’ efforts. We’ve been putting in work year-round, all summer. So, I feel like it was kind of bound to happen.”

Sariquey put on quite a show, picking up his opponent several times during the match. While he is upbeat and wrestles with plenty of energy, Sariquey said he is certainly not a showboat.

“I feel like it reciprocates my whole personality as well,” Sariquey said. “I like to be not necessarily a showoff, but I like the big move; I like to be a little flashy at times.”

Sequoia’s Lundell collects more PAL hardware

After starting the wrestling season late due to his fall season with the PAL Ocean Division champion Sequoia football team, senior James Lundell captured more PAL hardware by claiming the individual championship Saturday at 159s. Lundell earned a major decision Carlmont’s Nicolaas Foks

“The guy was strong,” Lundell said. “Couldn’t break him down, couldn’t get a pin, but I think my highlight there was probably my neutral work and takedowns.”

While Lundell got a late start to the wrestling season, he made up for it over the summer, focusing on wrestling and attending clinics at Stanford University.

“Got some work in over the summer,” Lundell said. “It’s really helped me to take that time off from wrestling.

Once he rejoined the team following Sequoia’s run to the Central Coast Section Division V football finals, he hit the ground running.

“I started off strong,” Lundell said. “I won second down at Lincoln High School, and really kickstarted my season from there. ... I think I placed in every single tournament.”

South City’s De Asis 3-peats

Moving up 25 pounds since his first PAL title as a sophomore, South City senior Ryder De Asis rolled to the title Saturday at 192 with a tech fall against Hillsdale’s Troy Roser in the finals.

De Asis went 3-0 on the day, earning first-round pins in his first two matches commanding his cool and collected power style.

“Nothing too crazy in the postseason,” De Asis said. “There’s no room for error. So, we’ve got to do everything we can to elevate our game to the next level and not take a step back.”

De Asis earned his first PAL championship as a sophomore at 172s.

“So, I’ve put on a lot of muscle in those three years,” De Asis said. “I’d say it helped. In terms of wrestling, I did a lot during the offseason and I’ve just improved my grit and my technique and my position overall with my coaches.”

Burlingame’s Aguilar in fine form

Burlingame senior Lauren Aguilar made quick work of the field to earn the girls’ championship at 122s. The reigning PAL and CCS champ went a breezy 2-0 on the day, earning a first-round pin over HMB’s Lauren McClellan in the finals.

“I think that I definitely know where I am in my game, and what I need to improve on,” Aguilar said. “I feel very good about what I’ve been wanting to do. I know what I need do to execute the plans that I’ve made for myself this season. And taking that break week, I feel very fresh in this up-and-coming postseason. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a worry in my mind. I feel like I need to get my job done, and that’s exactly what I’m coming here to do.”

Other champions ...

Other boys’ championships were won by: Mills’ Jayden Xie, 115s; HMB’s Gabriel Mauricio Garcia-Procopio, 134s; Sequoia’s Andre Gagnon, 140s; Westmoor’s Nurmuhammad Abdybekov, 146s; HMB’s Aaron Landin, 152s; Westmoor’s Abdulazis Abdybekov, 167s; Menlo-Atherton’s Eric Ruiz, 177s; Burlingame’s Andrew Jarrett, 217s; and Woodside’s Carlos Latu, 287s.

Other girls’ championships were won by: Oceana’s Angeline Galon, 102s; Carlmont’s U’iwailani Lobato, 107s; Terra Nova’s Sophie Darer, 112s; El Camino’s Mariah Lejender, 117s; Mills’ Melanie Feng, 127s; Terra Nova’s Ava Mendoza, 132s; Woodside’s Evyn Ellis, 137s; South City’s Khloe Meisenbach, 142s; San Mateo’s Rachel Shomaker, 157s; and Mills’ Kelailah Johnson, 192s.