San Dimas, Calif. -- The Vanguard wrestling team trekked up to the campus of Life Pacific for the second time in as many weeks for a three-match slate against Arizona Christian, Simpson, and LPU. The first dual saw the team face the Firestorm and VU only gave up points in the one weight they did not wrestle at, giving the Lions a 52-6 victory. The win bumps Vanguard to 2-3 in duals this year and 1-3 in Cascade Collegiate Conference action.
What Happened? Without someone to open the dual with, the Blue and Gold went down 6-0 by forfeiting the 125-pound weight. Moving quickly to 133-pounds, the Lions sent out Mario Barrios (SR/Covina, CA) to take on Isaiah Marquez. Barrios got the first takedown but was then taken to the mat himself as the first period moved along. Managing to escape, Barrios snuck in one more takedown to take a 5-2 lead into the second period. Barrios then escaped to start the second frame and each wrestler recorded one takedown to make the score 8-4 in favor of VU entering the third. From there, Barrios took control, scoring nine points in the final few minutes to take a 17-5 victory and level the dual score at 6-6.
Steven Kroesen (SO/Laguna Hills, CA) then hit the mat for VU at 141-pounds, as he went up against Zane Mallery. Kroesen did not need much time, as he controlled the bout and made the pin in the first period to put Vanguard in the lead. It was then a similar story for Gabriel Cortez (SO/Covina, CA) at 149-pounds. He took on Daniel Butler and dominated from the outset, also recording a pin in the first period. Caleb Jones (SO/Norwalk, CA) then faced EJ Lueraharris at 157-pounds and got the third VU pin in a row in the first period.
The 165-pound match featured Carlo Castagnaro taking on Ricky Padilla (SR/Azusa, CA), who wanted to avenge his first loss of the year last time he was on the mat. He was unable to pin the ACU wrestler but certainly did just about everything else on the way to a 12-0 decision victory, as Padilla got back to his winning ways. Gerardo Hernandez (JR/Mission Viejo, CA) then got the call at 174-pounds to face Jacob Viera. Hernandez got two takedowns in the first and gave up only one escape, giving him a 4-1lead after one period. Hernandez proceeded to give up only one escape the rest of the way to take a 6-2 victory by decision.
At 184-pounds, Vanguard sent out Baron Gaunt (FR/Torrance, CA) to take on Anthony Aguilera. It was another bout that only needed one period, as Gaunt pinned Aguilera after two takedowns to take maximum points in the victory. The closest match of the first dual was Isaiah Hernandez (FR/Selma, CA) taking on Va Ili at 197-pounds. Neither wrestler got points in the first period to spice things up going into the second. Hernandez earned an escape to start, as he started in the down position at the opening of the next frame. After getting free, he made a quality takedown but Ili then wriggled free to make the score 3-1 after the second-period horn. The third period was frantic as each wrestler looked for the winning move, with Ili escaping to start the period. The ACU wrestler then made a takedown but Hernandez was able to escape and make a takedown of his own towards the end of the match to win 6-4.
The Lions sent out Carson Hatch (FR/Hughson, CA) to face Alejandro Mosqueda to wrap up the dual at the heavyweight division and the bout was all Hatch all the time. Giving up only one escape in the third period, Hatch made three takedowns in the first and two more in the third to win 14-1. With the match over, Vanguard was the victor by a final score of 52-6.
