The Aptos High wrestling team completed an undefeated dual-meet season and captured the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League’s dual-meet title with Monday’s 58-18 victory over defending champion Santa Cruz.

It’s just the second time that the Mariners (9-0, 5-0) have finished undefeated in dual meets. They also went undefeated in 1997, when they were 5-0 and won the first of their two league titles.

Monday’s victory also put Aptos in prime position to win its first overall league title since 2004. It will capture the championship if it finishes second or better at the league finals, scheduled for Thursday at Scotts Valley High. San Lorenzo Valley is in second place at 4-1, while Santa Cruz is in third at 3-2.

Mariners coach Reggie Roberts said he wasn’t that confident heading into the meet after learning that the 105-pounder scheduled to compete was too ill to wrestle, his 217-pounder was sidelined by a knee injury and standout Tanner Heath didn’t make his target weight.

“I thought it was going to be a nail-biter,” Roberts said. “They have some tough kids on their team. It just goes to show you, we are right across the board pretty deep. We don’t rely on one or two guys to do the job.”

The first three matches were “back-and-forth,” Roberts said, but then heavyweight Nick Gizdich and third-string 105-pounder Jay Ryan pinned their opponents, and the rout was on.

Also for Aptos, Trey Peterson (132 pounds) and Joe Else (142) won by pin and Christian Bowen (171) won by technical fall, while John Velez (191) won 13-0, John Porter (114) won 10-0 and Marty Rayburn (162) won 7-0. Cherie Jacque (121), Heath (127) and Nick Menge (147) won by forfeit.

Roberts said that while the Mariners want to win the league finals and “leave no doubt that this year was our year,” their big goal is to finish in the top 15 at the Central Coast Section meet, adding that Rayburn, Velez and Heath have hopes of advancing to the state meet.

• On Saturday, Rayburn and Velez won their respective weight classes and the Mariners won the Colt Classic at El Camino in South San Francisco.

Peterson took second place, while Heath, who wrestled at 121 pounds, placed third. Also, Porter, Else, Keys and Evan Mehl (217) finished fourth, while Ronie Delfin (137) and Gizdich took fifth.



Share on Facebook