NCS wrestling championships: Windsor trio wins titles

UNION CITY - Four Redwood Empire wrestlers took home North Coast Section titles Saturday, with two of the winners earning individual titles for the second consecutive year. Eight Empire wrestlers earned tickets to the state meet next weekend in Bakersfield.

Windsor’s Beau Colombini defended his 160-pound NCS title with a second-round pin against Redwood’s Riley Dow, and his teammate Dominic DuCharme captured the 170-pound crown with a technical decision against Northgate’s Ian Morford.

Adding to the collection for Windsor was Anthony Spallino, who grabbed the 195-pound title in a decision over Las Lomas’ Connor Aiello.

“It’s the first time in school history that we’ve had back-to-back champions,” Windsor coach Rich Carnation said. “It shows that with hard work … you can have great success, and we have.

“They did it in a very convincing manner,” Carnation said of the trio of Jaguars winners.

Ukiah’s Nicolas Iversen defeated Del Norte’s Garrett McAlexander to grab the 285-pound title.

For Iversen, it was a bit of redemption after what he considered a disappointing fifth-place finish as the No. 1 seed in 2015, when he was upset by the fourth and second seeds in the section championship.

“Last year, I got too ahead of myself, and kind of flushed my season down the toilet,” Iversen said. “I just needed to grow up a little bit, and I did this year. My main focus has been my mental preparation and how I prepare for matches.”

Windsor’s Perez Perez lost a one-point decision in the 145-pound championship match to De La Salle’s Payton Omania, but will still wrestle at the state meet.

De La Salle won the meet with a team score of 339.50. Liberty finished second with 227 and Windsor took third for the second consecutive year with 201.50.

The biggest winner Saturday wasn’t even in a championship match.

Maria Carrillo’s Cameron Casey probably also didn’t realize that his tooth and left eye were bloodied after his victory by pin in the third-place match against Healdsburg’s Anthony Merlo earned him a trip to the state championship in Bakersfield. He just knew he was going to state.

“I had motivation and I just wanted it. When it was (the third round) and I was still losing, I realized I had to do something differently. I was about to throw him - he got out of that. I decided to go for Hail Marys ... because he was going to win if I didn’t do something big,” Casey said.

Carrillo coach Tim Bruce said it’s the fifth time in school history that a Puma will wrestle at the state meet.

“This one is special,” Bruce said. “He had a lot of adversity this year, and that’s what makes it special.”

Bruce said that adversity, and his work with teammate Josh Groesbeck - who finished fifth at 182 pounds - helped take Casey to the next level.

“I credit a lot of it to Josh, working hard, training hard with him day in and day out,” Bruce said.

Casey, who didn’t even make it to the second day in last year’s meet, knew after Merlo got the first takedown in the third-place match that he had to start pushing it.

“I wrestled (Merlo) earlier today, and I lost by a point,” Casey said. “And I know I just had to come back and try my hardest.”

Casey credit his work “after the practice room” for taking his game to the next level this year.

“I went on runs, and I actually cut weight and did just all the steps that my coaches told me,” he said. “All of my coaches were a big help.”

Casey then paused for a moment. “I still can’t believe it, it’s just absolutely insane, honestly.”

Merlo then walked by Casey and recognized the moment.

“Good match … today was your day, good job. Congrats,” Merlo told him.

Casey was one of three medalists for Carrillo, the first time in school history that three wrestlers have placed at a section meet, Bruce said. The other two were Groesbeck and Kai Addington, who won an eighth-place medal at 113 pounds.

Cardinal Newman’s Gunnar Hayman earned a trip to the state meet with a victory in the third-place match at 285 over Eureka’s Dakota Timmons. Hayman had lost to Timmons earlier in the tournament.

“He threw me (in the first match), and it humbled me,” Hayman said. “It more that humbled me, it destroyed me … I had to rebuild myself back up.”

Analy’s Trevor Bagan lost his third-place match in 106 pounds via decision to American’s Evan Santos.

In the same weight division, Lower Lake’s Blake Frederickson earned a fifth-place finish with a victory against De La Salle’s Logan Sumulomg.

In the 113-pound class, Ukiah’s Dakota Perez lost in the third-place match when he was pinned in the third round by De La Salle’s Jake Lillieistein. Perez was up 2-0 when he was pinned.

Upper Lake’s Jose Fernandez III lost a tough 9-7 decision in his third-place match at 120 pounds to Acalanes’ Tai White.

In two of a handful of Redwood Empire matchups, Healdsburg’s Dominic Montanez defeated Addington via decision in 113 pounds, and Cardinal Newman’s Jake Butler pinned Healdsburg’s Andrew Nunez in 132. In the 152-pound seventh-place match, Cardinal Newman’s Mason Levinson defeated Ukiah’s Francisco Noriega.

El Molino’s Sam MacDonnell lost a close 2-0 decision to James Logan’s Austin Chan in the third-place match at 138.

In the third-place match at 152 pounds, Healdsburg’s Joel Anguiano lost a decision to Las Lomas’ Max Amen.