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Pitman High freshman Lilly Freitas has trained recently with the former queen of area female wrestling — Enochs graduate Rory Coscia.
Coscia, a two-time state champion, now wrestles for Campbellsville University, an NAIA power in Kentucky. Now that her amazing run has ended, she could be passing the baton of dominance to Freitas.
The Pitman star dominated the Reno Worlds in April (she was the meet’s outstanding wrestler) and the Freakshow in Las Vegas. She also went undefeated while representing the USA at the PanAm Games.
“Lilly goes against the guys every day and more than holds her own,” Pitman coach Adam Vasoncellos said. “You can tell how special she is.”
Oakdale sophomore Henry Porter, who placed eighth at the prestigious Walsh Iron Man meet in Ohio earlier this month, is ranked first in the state at 132 by The California Wrestler. Porter and teammate Gabe Martinez, who committed to Campbellsville, were state finalists last season. Martinez, a senior, is ranked third in the state at 182. Also ranked third is Turlock senior Mike Jeffus (285).
Others ranked by TCW: Turlock junior 120-pounder William Giron (8th); Patterson senior Noah Mirelez (9th at 132); Pitman junior Kendall La Rosa (10th at 152); and Oakdale seniors Cody Golding (11th at 195) and Ricky Torres (11th at 138). Torres is a Cal Poly commit. La Rosa, 14-0, has won the Granite Bay, the Morning Star at Los Banos and the Chukchansi meets.
El Capitan, led by champions Devin Holman (132) and Joseph Pia (106), took team honors at the 5th Mike Tamana Invitational last weekend at Modesto Junior College. Holman, the meet’s lightweight MVP, won four matches by fall, then edged Edison Alanis of Franklin of Elk Grove 6-4 in the finals. Bret Harte sophomore Kodiak Stephens, the 170 champ, was the middleweights’ MVP. Taking the top heavyweight trophy was senior Malik Lewis of Franklin of Elk Grove, who won the 182-pound bracket.
Other champions included Grace Davis sophomore Carson Prim (126), Beyer senior Jose Estrada (152), Enochs junior Zion Maghoney (160), and senior Argel Arroyo (220) and junior Elias Saldana (285) of Ceres.
Wrestlers from 24 schools took part at MJC.
League dual meets have begun in the area, but the weekend tournament scene only intensifies. The Bulldog Classic, a fixture at Turlock High for over two decades, will be held Saturday. Action begins at 9 a.m. …Oakdale dominated the Folsom duals last weekend. After four lopsided wins, the Mustangs defeated Central of Fresno 47-33 in the finals. Michael Torres (106), Brayden Abell (113), Ricky Torres (145), Martinez and Golding all were unbeaten. … MJC freshman Daniel Cota (149) placed third and freshman Ivan Gomez (133) was seventh at the State Community College Championships earlier this month at Cerritos College in Norwalk. Finishing eighth were the Pirates’ Juan Rosales (174) and Victor Cruz (8th). MJC won nine of 13 duals this season. Fresno City claimed its third straight state team title and its record 16th overall. Greg Villoria of San Joaquin Delta (125) was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler. Sacramento City’s Bronson Harmon, an Oakdale graduate, parlayed an early takedown into a 3-2 win over Jhaylyn Hall of Santa Rosa in the 184-pound final.
Ron Agostini was recognized for regional and national awards during his 40-year career with The Modesto Bee. He retired in 2017.
