Tehachapi Valley Wrestling Club

Tehachapi Valley Wrestling Club recently traveled to Tulare to compete at one of the toughest Valley Tournaments, the “10th Annual California Republic.”

The tournament was a two-day event with Middle School Divisions competing on Saturday. TVWC top placer was runner-up Jovonni Martinez in the Novice Division 155 pound class. “This was Martinez’s first completion, which he missed some opportunities to win the tournament but showed up and competed hard,” said Coach Curtis Nelson. Reese Hart wrestled the Girls Only Division at 112 and finished with a third place medal out of seven competitors. Levi Hart battled six rounds of matches at 106 pounds to earn his fourth place medal. “Both Levi and Reese are two of the toughest Middle School wrestlers and wrestle in two of the most competitive weights in the State,” said Coach Nelson. Evan Lutgen had a tough day in the 77 pound class and finished the day with sixth place.

Day two had the Kindergarten to 5th graders hitting the mats. TVWC had 10 wrestlers competing on six different mats, which kept the Coaching Staff of Marcus Coates, Eric Parker and Curtis Nelson busy. Jake Brown earned another first place finish for the year at the 2-3 grade Division, 44 pound class. Phillip Coates lost in the finals of his 16 man bracket of the K-1st Division, 44 pound class and had to wrestle the third place wrestler in a “true second” match and pinned him to keep his second place medal. Drake Lightner also wrestled in the K-1st Division 44 pound class and placed fourth. Tehachapi wrestlers in the K-1st Division who were not able to place in their 32-man bracket of the 48 pound class were Noe Mesa, Liam Parker and Marcus Coates. Noe was one match away from placing. Garick MacLachlan ended up injured defaulting in the K-1st Division, 40 pound class.

Both Gabriel Mesa and Maddox MacLachlan were one match away from placing in the 2-3 grade Division, 53 pound class. Kayden Gonzales also was one match from placing in his 4-5 grade Division, 77 pound class. “We are proud of Jake being Champion and seeing our wrestlers placing at this tournament and we almost had four other placers, so that is a good day of wrestling,” said Coach Nelson.