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Serafini, Lacy, Denning strike gold

Senior trio win Golden Gate Classic titles, Schimm 2nd, Dragons 3rd

Last year as a junior, Sonoma Valley High School’s varsity wrestling team’s Giordi Serafini came ever so close to winning an annual Golden Gate Classic title, but was edged and took home a well-earned second-place medal.

As a senior at this year’s competive 35-team grappling event held Saturday at Washington High School in San Francisco, Sonoma’s Serafini was determined to win a gold medal, which he so decisively accomplished, as did first-place senior teammates Aidan Lacy, who was third at last year’s Golden Gate, and Sam Denning. Standout junior Max Schimm also reached the finals and took home a second-place medal.

The three title-winning and runner-up co-captains, with returning Sonoma County League and North Coast Section medalists Lacy (SCL champion) and Serafini pinning all their opponents, sparked the Dragon varsity wrestlers to an impressive Golden Gate Classic third-place team finish.

Making the Dragons’ claim to the third-place trophy a touch sweeter was edging out longtime SCL rival Healdsburg by just one-place in the finals – Sonoma having three first-place finishers and a second-place, compared to the Greyhounds three firsts and a third.

Both defending champion Healdsburg and Sonoma are the favored frontrunners in this year’s SCL title-race.

Leading the Dragons, directed by head coach Kyle Baird and assistant coach Deets Winslow, were Serafini’s first-place 4-0-record finish with four pins – including a 36-second pin and yielding just one overall point, which was on a release – at 126 pounds; Lacy’s 4-0 first-place with four pins at 220; Denning’s 4-0 first with two pins at 132; and Schimm’s 4-1 second with two pins at 152.

Sonoma was also paced by sophomore Jake Randuch’s 1-2 record at 120 pounds; senior Alex Ohan’s 0-2 at 160; junior Tommy Jordan’s 0-2 at 138; freshman Brandon Ruiz’s 0-2 at 145; and frosh Dalton Elster’s 0-2 in the heavyweight division.

Sonoma’s varsity will wrestle in the annual Healdsburg Duals this Saturday, Dec. 15, preceded by the junior varsity Dragons participating in Healdsburg’s Jayvee Tournament on Friday, Dec. 14.

The varsity Dragons will then compete in the annual, and challenging, Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno, on Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 26 to 28.

Sonoma’s wrestlers will open their 2013 Sonoma County League dual-match season on Wednesday, Jan. 2, when they travel to Forestville for a showdown with El Molino.

On Friday and Saturday, Jan. 4 and 5, Sonoma will host its annual Valley of the Moon Classic.