Tehachapi Valley Wrestling Club

Tehachapi Valley Wrestling Club has started their wrestling season with 50 boys and girls from kindergarten to eighth grade. The team is divided into three practice groups: middle school, grades 2-5 and grades K-1, to ensure that each wrestler receives a lot of individual attention.

TVWC has been doing a lot of fundraising over the last year to purchase a new wrestling mat for the middle school practice site.

"It is so great to have this new mat for our kids," said TVWC President Adrian Hart.

TVWC had their first competition Saturday, Nov. 16 in Shafter at the KCWC-SMBC Takedown Tournament.

"We had 25 wrestlers battling on the mat with all of them placing," said Coach Marcus Coates.

First time wrestlers placing in their age and weight divisions were: Davis Munson, 3rd place, K-1, 40 pounds; Drake Lightner, 1st place, K-1, 45 pounds; Liam Parker, 3rd place, K-1, 45 pounds; Claire Shadduck, 6th place, middle school, 80 pounds; Jovanni Martinez, 5th place, middle school, 135 pounds; Noah Welton, 5th place, middle school, 80 pounds and Garick Maclachlan, K-1, 40 pounds.

"I was impressed with our new wrestlers getting on the mat for the first time," said Coach Curtis Nelson.

Reese Hart placed 1st in middle school at 109 pounds; Ben Reyna 1st in K-1, 45 pounds; Marcus Coates 1st in K-1, 45 pounds; Noe Mesa 1st in grade 2-3, 45 pounds; Gabriel Mesa 1st in grade 2-3, 50 pounds; and Jake Brown 1st in grade 2-3, 40 pounds. Second Place went to Kayden Gonzales, grade 4-5, 75 pounds; Phillip Coates, grade K-1, 45 pounds; Andre Cordova, grade 2-3, 45 pounds; Edward Reyna, grade 2-3, 60 pounds; Owen Schneider, grade 4-5, 57 pounds and Nicholas Voshall, middle school, 135 pounds. Taking home 3rd place medals were: Bentley Folks, K-1, 46 pounds; Michael Brown, grade 4-5, 75 pounds; Ella Schneider, middle school, 80 pounds; and Myles Bega, grade 2-3, 50 pounds. Fourth place went to Maddox Maclachlan and Anthony Ashby, middle school, 133 pounds.