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Palo Alto rising senior Ella Jauregui (second from right) is surrounded by (from left to right) coach Richie Nole, former Paly wrestlers Dara Hedayapour and Alexandra Lee, and Paly coach Jonathan Kessler. Courtesy Jennifer Raymond. -
Alexia Bensoussan reached the championship match of her division at the California State Finals Invitational in Fresno. Coutrtesy Bob Dahlberg/@bobd_photo. -
Palo Alto’s Adar Schwarzbach placed fifth at the California State Finals Invitational. Courtesy Keith Ferrell.
It turned out to be a successful high school wrestling season for several local athletes who competed at the California State Finals Invitational over the weekend in Fresno.
Menlo-Atherton’s Alexia Bensoussan reached the championship match of the girls 128 weight class before losing to Swamp Monsters’ Janida Garcia.
Swamp Monsters, based in Sacramento, dominated the meet, handily winning the “team” trophy. Bensoussan was the lone M-A wrestler.
Bensoussan reached the final with a technical fall, an injury default in the third period and a 4-1 decision over Central Catholic’s Adrienna Turner in the semifinals.
Palo Alto’s Ella Jauregui placed seventh in the same bracket, winning her final match 9-2 over Highland’s Kaydence Boyd.
Jauregui needed to win twice in the consolation bracketto reach the seventh-place match.
Titan wrestling’s Mikayla Silverman placed fifth in the 162 bracket, beating Los Banos’ Klara Daniels in the finals.
“We have been training five days a week since the season has been finished,” Palo Alto coach Jonathan Kessler said. “The wrestlers knew about the tournament in early May. It was motivational to know that there was going to be some kind of post season folkstyle competition.”
On the men’s side, Palo Alto’s Adar Schwarzbach beat Dublin’s Timothy Cowan in a sudden victory 3-1 to earn the fifth-place medal.
Schwarzbach opened with a 7-4 decision over Rancho Bernadino’s Sunniboy Motas before losing to eventual runner-up Victor Jacinto of Gilroy, which dominated the boys’ competition.
“It was a great experience and hats off to the people who were able to make it happen,” Kessler said. “It was an awesome way for Adar to end his senior season and really nice for Ella in respects to her upcoming senior year.”
The Paly graduate won twice in consolation to earn a spot in the fifth-place match.
Gunn’s Calvin Cai showed that seeding doesn’t matter, winning two of his four matches despite being slapped with the No. 32 seed.
Cai lost to the top seed and then recorded a pin and 6-1 decision before running into Cowan.
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer
By Rick Eymer
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