RED BLUFF – Geovani Rico didn’t know whether to cry, celebrate or scream – so he did all three. All it took was a matter of 15 seconds for the lone senior on the Durham High wrestling team to pin Chico’s Gabe Rodriguez.
The pinfall was the deciding factor as the Trojans captured their first Northern Section team title since 1960 – ending a 64-year drought and sending the team into a celebratory frenzy inside a jam-packed Red Bluff High Pavilion on Saturday night.
Rico was stunned as he was hit with a wave of emotions and surrounded by his teammates. He not only sealed the team title, but he also secured a berth into next week’s CIF State Wrestling Championships held at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
“Everyone in the crowd was motivating me,” Rico said while still trying to catch his breath from celebrating. “Last year, losing in the semifinals and not being able to go to state … I wanted to make my mark this year.”
Rico was well aware of the potential to make history for Durham High. He said Durham head coach Tony Cardoza brought it up on the first day of practice.
“We’ve been working our butts off every day to get to this moment,” Rico said.
In a battle between the two Northern Section powerhouse programs, Durham edged second-place Chico by a 5.5 margin to cap the historic day. Las Plumas took third with 139 points followed by Lassen (116.5) and Anderson (116).
The team title marks the first time a small school has ever won in the era of the Masters Tournament. When Durham won the championship in 1960, it wasn’t deemed the Northern Section Masters Tournament.
“It’s just a small school, small town, everybody feels like family and that’s what this team is – it’s an extension of my family,” Cardoza said.
The 287-pound matchup between Rico and Rodriguez was a rematch from the Chico vs. Durham dual on Jan. 26 where Rico won on a 3-1 decision.
The monumental day for the Trojans all began with a freshman – Landon Salindong – who made quick work of his opponent to capture the 108-pound title. Salindong pinned Red Bluff’s Brice Bearchum in 44 seconds in the first finals bout of the evening.
“I’ve been really nervous for that match. It was a rematch from earlier this season. I won but it was close last time,” Salindong said. “It felt good to get the pin. I think I knew I needed to finish it quickly.”
Richard Halvorson, a junior, marked Durham’s third champion of the day as Halvorson pinned Las Plumas’ Dylan Delany in 2:41 to earn the 152-pound title.
It was Durham’s depth and consistency to place within the top three that helped secure the team title for the Trojans. Second-place finishers for Durham included Zachary Lacey (115), Haden Solinger-Owings (122), Isaiah Vaughan (134) and Edgar Flores-Estrada (159). Each earned a trip to the state championships as the top two finishers in each weight class advance.
Colson Thurman (140) and Zachariah Zwinger (146) took third for the Trojans.
“I am so proud of the kids. They came here and really stepped up today under pressure and did amazing while having fun. I’m beside myself.”
Cardoza, a wrestling coach of 19 years, was also honored as the Northern Section boys Coach of the Year prior to Saturday’s finals.
“We have all these people who work on our staff. It is a team effort and a team award,” Cardoza said.
Chico High, which finished with 268.5 points in the standings, had several standout performances. Jeovany Navarrete won on a 9-2 decision to capture the 122-pound title and get the first victory for the Panthers.
Navarrete’s twin brother, Johny, followed in the 128-pound final, upsetting Orland’s David Griffith for the first-place victory.
In the third period, Griffith flipped Johny Navarrete on his back to swing the momentum his way. However, a quick reversal from Johny Navarrete allowed him to get a takedown and lead 11-7. The sequence sparked booming cheers from the Chico fans in the stands. As time ran out, Johny Navarrete was victorious on a 14-9 decision.
“I was going through a lot of motions. I was waiting for the right moment,” Johny Navarrete said. “When he turned me I knew I had to fight back and go back into battle. I just waited for the next move and stayed calm.”
Ryan Clink, the Chico High senior, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. Clink pinned his way through the tournament going 4-0 to win the 167-pound title. Clink used a fast and aggressive start to build an 8-0 lead in the first period over Modoc’s Lewis Crumwell. Clink’s lead grew to 14-0 and finally won with a pin in 3 minutes.
“I’m always hungry to go for that state medal. I love wrestling and my coaches are pushing me every day,” Clink said. “It’s my last (state championship tournament). When I’m in college I know I’ll miss high school wrestling.”
Fellow Panther Jack Dalling followed Clink with a pin in 2:41 over University Prep’s Asher Edwardson to take the 177-pound title.
Clink and Dalling have been practice partners all season trying to push each other down the stretch.
“Our whole roster is filled with guys who are tough. That’s what I love about the team,” Clink said. “We’re all here to win. Either way I’m so proud of us.”
Other area state qualifiers include Pleasant Valley’s Carter Mallinger (192), Las Plumas’ Broden Small (217), Orland’s David Griffith (128), Las Plumas’ Dylan Delany (152).
Chico’s Wyatt Williams (140) won his true second-place match to qualify for state, defeating Durham’s Colson Thurman. If the second place wrestler and the third-place wrestler of a weight class didn’t face off in the tournament, it calls for a true second-place match.
Corning girls take first
The Corning High girls wrestling team topped the standings with 198 points, securing its second-straight Northern Section Masters team title.
The Cardinals had first-place finishes from Elise Toste (112) and Amaya Fairley-Vasquez (157).
Chico finished second with 169 points followed by Pleasant Valley with 165, Durham with 140 and Anderson with 107 points to round out the top 5.
Pleasant Valley’s Mikayla Seidler won the 137-pound championship by pinning Shasta’s Danika Jenson in 3:17. Seidler, a senior, went 4-0 in the tournament to secure her trip the state championships.
Chico High champions include Nereyda Bill (142) and Samone Sandoval (147). Paradise’s Maleah Ballejos won the 107-pound title.
Orland’s Addison Bersten won the 122-pound title.
Durham’s Raeanna Halvorson won the 132-pound title. Raeanna Halvorson and her brother, Richard, mark the first brother-sister duo to win Northern Section Masters Championships in the same year.
Raeanna Halvorson, a senior, pinned Corning’s Margarita Leal in 2:44.
“I didn’t want to get into my own head. I wanted to try to be the best,” Raeanna Halvorson said. “I was trying to be on top of the north and qualify for state and place on the podium and I did.”