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Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Monta Vista's Jarrod Rothman, working for one of his 47 wins this season, capped a sensational senior season by placing fourth at the state finals.
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Jarod Rothman nails 4th at state
Conley advances to the second day
By DICK SPARRER
Jarrod Rothman lost just three of 50 matches this season ... not a bad year by any standards.
But two of those three came last weekend at the state tournament in Stockton, and they came at the hands of the same wrestler.
The Monta Vista superstar lost twice to Tommy Vargas of Pacific High, and the losses cost Rothman a shot at the state 127-pound championship he had been hoping for.
Rothman, who took an outstanding 43-1 mark into state competition, was keeping a close watch on Mike Simpson of Brethren Christian. Simpson had tagged Rothman with his only loss of the year back at the Mid-Cal tournament in Gilroy in late January. Simpson was ranked No. 1 in the state with Rothman No. 2.
Some figured that the two meet in the title match in the weight class, but Vargas had other ideas.
Rothman opened state competition with a lopsided 11-2 decision win, but he was upset 6-4 by Vargas a match later.
The talented Matador fought back, though. He posted decision wins of 17-5, 6-4 and 9-0 to get another shot at Vargas. But Rothman lost again to Vargas in the match for third place.
Still, Rothman wound up with a fourth-place medal at state and finished the season with a 47-3 record after winning his second straight Central Coast Section title a week earlier. So it was quite a year for the Monta Vista senior.
Joey Conley of Cupertino also made it to the second day of the competition. Conley lost a 3-2 heartbreaker in this first match, but he came back to pin with 40 seconds left in the second round in his second match at 162 pounds.
Conley pulled out a 7-3 decision win a match later to advance in the tournament, but he lost a 7-2 nod on Saturday to face elimination.
Monta Vista's Daniel Puder opened state competition with a 3-1 decision win at 217 pounds, but he lost his next two matches to fall out of the competition.
Fremont's Chris Osian, Anthony Baza and Chris Healy all made the trip to state, but none of the three advanced out of the first day of competition.
Lynbrook's Robert Lee posted a 13-8 decision win at 132 pounds, but the win was sandwiched by two first-day losses.
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Cupertino, California Since 1947
