Capturing both the varsity boys and the varsity girls Trans-Valley League championships, Cougar wrestlers easily outdistanced the competition on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The TVL tournament was hosted at Hughson High School and saw the varsity boys take top honors by more than 40 points over second place Hughson. Meanwhile, the varsity girls had nine individual champions in pinning down their first-ever league championship.

At the varsity boys level, head coach Derek Scott said 13 wrestlers took the mats to represent Escalon, with six emerging as champions.

First place showings came from Houston Sizuela at 120 pounds, Luca Cerasi, 132; Christian T. Cruz, 144; Dylan Ball, 165; John Konradi, 190; and Frank Rodriguez, heavyweight.

Scott said he was most pleased with the effort of Ball, a freshman who powered his way past more experienced opponents to come away with a TVL title.

In second place for Escalon were Jacob Morales, 106 pounds; Conner McDowell, 126; Ben Gonzalez, 150; Logan Wentzell, 157; Landon Underwood, 175; and Christian Rodriguez, 215.

Ethan Butler, at 138 pounds, had a third-place finish.

“All of them will be moving on to the Divisionals,” Scott said of his varsity 13, with that event set for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and 15, at Calaveras High School. The top four finishers in each weight class at Divisionals qualify for the Masters Meet.

For the girls, 11 wrestlers competed for Escalon and nine came away as champions; all 11 will advance to the Divisionals at Central Valley High School in Ceres on Feb. 14 and 15.

Champions were: Yahira Munoz, 100 pounds; Angeline Mills, 105; Isabella Alcala, 110; Miroslava Torres, 115; Yesenia Marsellis, 125; Sophia Duran, 130; Dani Roybal, 135; Helena Arroyo, 170; and Aislinn Ingles, 190.

Scott said Duran had “the most exciting match” of the day in the championship round, while Arroyo once again looked solid and Ingles had a strong comeback, after nearly getting pinned in the second round, battling back for the victory.

Taking second place honors was Natalee Martinez at 155 pounds and finishing in third place was Joavana Herrera at 120 pounds.

The top eight placers in each weight class at Divisionals will move on to the Masters. The girls, like their varsity boys counterparts, captured both the team duals and the TVL title this season.

The JV boys closed out their season with four champions on Saturday. They took 14 wrestlers and 10 did come home with some hardware. The individual champions were Colton Fernandez at 138 pounds; Valdemar Garcia, 150; Cooper Fugett, 165; and Matthew Freitas, 190 pounds.

“It was a good way for them to wrap up the season,” Scott said of his JV team.