Dragon grapplers score second in Deets Winslow Tournament

One of the most popular and longest-running wrestling tournaments north of the Bay, the Valley of the Moon Classic was renamed the Deets Winslow Invitational last year, and this year the hosting Sonoma Valley High School team came close to claiming its own tournament title.

Featuring a talented 19-team invitational field, the Dragons earned a strong second-place finish behind tournament champion Windsor, with Analy taking home the third-place trophy.

Also competing were Bear River, Casa Grande, Concord, El Molino, Elsie Allen, Montgomery, Napa, Petaluma, Piner, Pittsburg, Rancho Cotate, San Marin, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, St. Helena and Terra Linda

Leading the young Sonoma wrestlers to their Deets Winslow Invitational second-place trophy were tourney weight-class title winners junior Noah Bartolome, and freshmen Ryan Sherwood and Tyler Winslow, whose father was the late legendary coach and wrestler Deets Winslow himself.

The three Dragons captured first-place tourney medals, including Sherwood at 132 pounds, Winslow at 160, and Bartolome at 182.

Also earning top-five medal finishes were freshman David Bosshard’s third-place at 106 pounds; frosh Macklyn Liss’ third place at 120; sophomore Brandon Barmore’s third at 138; sophomore Dean Dunham’s third at 195; sophomore Dominico Biaggi’s fourth at 145; senior David Price’s fourth at 152; and sophomore Valentino Battaglini’s fourth at 220.

“The tournament went real well with lots of good competition, exciting matches and a good response from all the supporters in the stands and behind the scenes,” said Sonoma head coach Tony Albini, who’s assisted by coaches Scooter McAllister, John Bartolome and Eddie Hernandez.

“We’re proud of how our team wrestled, and to finish in second place not far behind such a strong team as Windsor and ahead of some real good schools made the tournament even better.

“As always, I want to thank all the parents, the school, the community and everyone else who helped make the tournament the success it is every year, especially Elsie Allen coach and my cousin Cody Bagley, who ran the whole tourney, and to trainer George Patterson for assisting the wrestlers.”

The Dragons return to Sonoma County League dual-match action tomorrow evening, Wednesday, Jan. 13, when they host Elsie Allen at 6 p.m. in Golton Hall on the SVHS campus.