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Wrestlers win double-dual opener

Dragons pin Justin-Siena, Valley’s Hanna, at Golden Gate Classic Saturday

Hitting the mat for the first time in their 2012-13 schedule, the Sonoma Valley High School varsity wrestlers hosted a nonleague dual-match doubleheader Wednesday night in Golton Hall, and, after Justin-Siena and Archbishop Hanna faced off,  they dominated both visiting teams and registered double-dual preseason wins.

In their first match, the Dragons defeated Justin-Siena 72-6, then returned to the mat for a dual match against Valley neighbor Archbishop Hanna and racked up a 69-6 victory.

Sonoma’s varsity and junior varsity wrestlers – directed by head coach Kyle Baird and assistant, and former Dragons’ longtime head coach, Deets Winslow – consists of senior co-captains Sam Denning, Aidan Lacy and Giordi Serafini, and junior co-captain Max Schimm; seniors Peter Gray, Alex Ohan, Sebastian Amara and Jose Vazquez-Fierro; juniors, Harris Meglin, Tommy Jordan, Chris Lohnes and Carlos Mendoza; sophomores Jack Biaggi and Jake Randuch; and freshmen Austin Beltran, Dalton Elster, Trevor Martinelli, David Price and Brandon Ruiz.

Both Sonoma’s Lacy and Serafini are returning North Coast Section medalists whose NCS preseason rankings are second at 220 pounds and fourth at 122, respectively.

Leading the varsity Dragons past Justin-Siena were Randuch’s first-round win by way of a pin over Politz at 126 pounds; Serafini’s first-round pinning of Christensen at 132; Denning’s first-round pin-win over Collins at 145; Schimm’s second-round pinning of Kenny at 152; forfeit wins by Gray (113), Meglen (120), Jordan (138), ruiz (160), Ohan (170), Mendoza (182), Elster (220) and Lacy (heavyweights); and Lohnes’ first-round pin-loss to Gardiner at 106.

In its win over the Hanna Hawks, Sonoma was led by Lacy’s first-round win by way of a pin over Robert Hamdani in the heavyweight division; Ohan’s first-round pin-win over Justin Saephan at 170; Elster’s first-round pinning of Nathan Sickler-Evans at 220; Jordan’s first-round win by way of a pin over Nathan Silva-Wagner at 132; Gray’s second-round pinning of Alanzo Jimenez at 113; Lohnes’ third-round pin-win over Jose Alvarez-Mendoza at 106; Meglen’s 4-0 victory over Alex Garcia at 120; and Mendoza’s third-round pin-loss to Adam Colon at 182.

Rounding out Archbishop Hanna’s second-year wrestling program’s roster – directed by head coach David Montano and assistant coach Nick Evanson – are Michael Corbett and Andrew Franccischir.

The varsity Dragons will wrestle in the annual, and challenging, Golden Gate Classic at Washington High School in San Francisco tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 8, before they compete in the Healdsburg Duals on Saturday, Dec. 15, with the preceding Healdsburg Jayvee Tournament taking place on Friday, Dec. 14.

Sonoma’s varsity grapplers will then battle in the annual, and highly competitive Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno on Tuesday, Dec. 27, through Thursday, Dec. 29.

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The jayvee and first-year wrestling Dragons competed in the annual Novice Tournament at Elsie Allen in Santa Rosa last Saturday and were led by Ruiz’s 4-1 third-place record at 152 pounds; Amara’s 3-2 fourth at 152; Lohnes’ 3-2 fourth at 106; Elster’s 2-2 fifth in the heavyweight division; Beltran’s 2-2 at 160; and Ohan’s 2-3 at 160.