The wrestling team opened up its season last Saturday at the Bakersfield Duals.
Last week, the team played against four colleges at the Bakersfield Dual.
First team they played against was West Hills-Lemoore College and won 35-13. The second team they faced the team struggled against Cuesta College losing 18-33.
Cerritos bounced back and won the next two matches against East Los Angeles College 36-12 and beating Bakersfield College 25-12.
The team went 3-1 in last Saturday’s tournament.
The entire team weighed in on, Sept. 11, before Saturday’s Bakersfield Tournament eager for the tournament to get underway.
Head coach Donald Garriott said, “I am really excited as it is the first competition of the year. We have a lot of young new guys and I am really excited to see what they have!”
Jesse Gomez, who went to the State Championship last year and came in second, went 2-0 in the Bakersfield Dual in his weight class (heavyweight) of 285 lbs.
Jesse won his matches by points this time and is ranked in first in the state this year.
Gomez said that his first match was the most intense of the two “because of the mistakes” he made.
Oscar Martinez, who also wrestles in the heavyweight class, did not participate in the Bakersfield Duals.
Martinez said, “I’m excited to see how we do and how the team comes together.”
Martinez also came in second place last year in his weight class of 197 lbs.
With Gomez and Martinez coming in second place last year, this has fueled them with determination to win the State Championship this year in their weight classes.
Martinez and Gomez both have their eyes set on the State Championships this year.
Garriott said, “This is an almost completely new team from last year. We only returned two starters from last year’s team that won the state championship so it’s hard to improve on that.
“This year’s team will be a work in progress but I feel by the end of the season we will be right where we need to be to make another run at the title.”
Garriott was named the state’s Coach of the Year.
He added, “I am not looking to prove anything. I just want to develop these young, talented guys we have and compete for another state title.”
Assistant coach Eric Gould was voted the Assistant Coach of the Year.
Last season the team went on a cinderella run in December in the post season. First it started off with the Southern California Regional Tournament when they placed first.
They ended the cinderella run, last season the team won its fourth CCCAA State Championship in Cerritos College history.
In hopes to repeat the feat again, the team practices with determination and dedication to repeat for another CCCAA State Championship.
