Sepeda Takes Title In Natomas Tourney

JORDAN SEPEDA PINS BRYAN KNOWLES / PHOTO M. LAVER

BY TREVOR HORN
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz

Natomas High senior Jordan Sepeda had a bad taste in his mouth after under performing at a wrestling tournament in Clovis last weekend.

But that only made the 220-pound weight class wrestler’s first-place finish at the 7th annual No Guts, No Glory two-day tournament Dec. 28-29 at Natomas High School more special.

“It feels good because I didn’t feel too good in Clovis,” Sepeda said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

Sepeda defeated Connor Vargas of Woodcreek with a 14-4 major decision in the finals to take home the lone title for either Natomas or Inderkum in the 30-team, 264-player tournament.

“It is a good feeling to win this last one during my senior year,” Sepeda said. “It means a lot and I am trying to take everything in to perspective and enjoy it more.”

Sepeda suffers from an injured shoulder and knee, but is still competing.

“That kid is amazing,” Natomas head coach Don Martinez said. “He doesn’t know how to slow down. Sometimes we try to get him to slow down because of his injuries, but he goes 100 miles per hour no matter what.”

The Nighthawks finished the tournament tied for seventh place overall with Oakmont High School, scoring 97.5 team points. Inderkum finished in 18th place with 56.5 team points.

“The tournament went great and I am happy,” Martinez said. “We are hoping the tournament is going to grow.”

ALEX GONZALEZ DEFEATS JAIME VILLAR / PHOTO M. LAVER

Alex Gonzalez of Natomas High finished in second place in the 145-pound finals behind Joel Smith of McClatchy High School. Down 6-3 to Gonzalez, Smith was able to pin Gonzalez with 14.6 seconds left in the third period.

In a highly anticipated 126-pound match, Inderkum wrestler Ruben Escalante lost a 10-2 decision to Dakota Fierro of Antelope High School. Fierro was named the Lightweight Most Outstanding Wrestler at the tournament.

 

RAFAEL PANTOJA PINNED BY PETER SANTOS / PHOTOS M. LAVER

Natomas senior Rafael Pantoja finished in fourth place at 170-pounds. Pantoja lost to No. 2 state-ranked Peter Santos of Oakmont High School in the semifinals. Santos went on to take first place and Heavyweight Most Outstanding Wrestler award.

“It was a good experience because it gives me a good idea of what the competition is and what I need to work towards,” Pantoja said of his match with Santos. “Mentally I wasn’t prepared. But it’s just a reminder to step up here on out.”

JOEY AMES AND DOMINIC BALMER IN OT / PHOTO MARC LAVER

Natomas High heavyweight Joey Ames finished in fifth place and Jaime Villar of Inderkum finished in sixth at 145-pounds.

Brandon Matu of Antelope was named Middleweight Most Outstanding Wrestler at 138-pounds. Martinez said getting wrestlers like Santos, Matu and Sheldon heavyweight champion Sam Alnassiri to compete in the annual tournament is great for the future of the event.

“What that does is bring in better wrestlers because people want to wrestle the best,” Martinez said. “So it attracts kids and we want to get them in here.”

ALEX VILLALOBOS CONSOLATION ROUND / PHOTO M. LAVER

 

Full List of Individual Final Matches:
106: Jordan Jenson – Woodcreek 11-5 decision over Michael Cole – Rocklin
113: Arist Lor – Sheldon 9-3 decision over Angelo Uribe – Woodcreek
120: Ethan Brewer – Sheldon 10-0 decision over Jerry Garrido – Folsom
126: Dakota Fierro – Antelope 10-2 decision over Ruben Escalante – Inderkum
132: Avery Ward – Antelope pin over Chris Vaughn – McClatchy 54.8 seconds, 3rd period
138: Brandon Matu – Antelope pin over Cameron Young – Woodcreek 8.2 second, 3rd period
145: Joel Smith – McClatchy pin over Alex Gonzalez – Natomas 3.5 3rd period
152: Matt Berry – Granite Bay decision over Roman Glukhoy – Mira Loma
160: Adel Niazi – Monterey Trail pin over Edgar Rivera – Lindhurst 1:46, 3rd period
170: Peter Santos – Oakmont technical over Kendahl Richmond – Monterey Trail
182: Marlon Ward – Monterey Trail 7-4 decision over Andrew Zamaron – Woodcreek
195: Russell Williams – Laguna Creek major decision over Austn Nguyen – Monterey Trail
220: Jordan Sepeda – Natomas 14-4 decision over Connor Vargas – Woodcreek
285: Sam Alnassiri Sheldon pin over Dominic Balmer – Woodcreek 1:00, 2nd period

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Email story ideas to Trevor Horn at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevhorn