Foothill Wrestlers Head to State Championship

By Steven Wilner

Junior John Eberle and Sophomore Griffith Gates placed 4th at the NCS Championships, earning a trip to the CIF State Championship Tournament.

In addition, Junior Austin Soto took 6th and Senior Shane O'Neill took 8th, rounding out the four medals earned by the Foothill Wrestling Team. Placing at this tournament is extremely difficult and both Austin and Shane, who also placed in 2010, worked hard all season to be ready for this challenge.

In order to qualify for the state tournament, it takes a top four placing in the 40-man brackets that are comprised of the best-of-the-best at each weight class in the North Coast Section. To put John and Grif’s accomplishments in perspective, there was one state qualifier from Granada and none from Livermore, Amador, San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista or Cal.

John made his perfect run last until the semi-finals, but lost to the eventual Champion at 103lbs. Grif dropped in the quarter-finals and then wrestled all the way back to the Consolation Finals to secure his spot at state.

Also wrestling in the second day of competition was Spencer Miller. Miller lost his first match of day two to end a great run at the tournament and a great season.

Also competing at NCS were Chad Carandang, Louis Desprez, David Diktakis, Cal Dutrow, David Harizal, JP Parisi. Attending as a 1st Alternate but unable to get into the tournament was Dylan Strangmeyer.

The state tournament will be held March 4-5 in Bakersfield.