Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Belsheim pins, Wildcats win

By Dick Sparrer

Mike Belsheim didn't need a pin. But the Los Gatos heavyweight did need a win if the Wildcats hoped to pull out a victory over Monta Vista in a key match in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last week.

And he got it--by pin.

Belsheim won by fall with 40 seconds remaining in the second round at 275 pounds to lead the Wildcats to a thrilling 35-31 win over the Matadors. The win left the Wildcats and Matadors with matching 3-1 records to share first place in the division.

Belsheim didn't need the pin to help the Cats clinch the team victory, but pins were the difference in the tight four-point match.

Each team won seven bouts in the close match, but Gatos wrestlers registered four falls to just two for the Matadors.

The Wildcats, who have beaten up on most teams in the upper weights this year, did it again against Monta Vista.

The Cats were down 28-13 heading into the last five bouts against the Mats, but Gatos won four of the five matches--three by fall.

Jeff Chestnut pinned in just 1:27 of the first round at 162 pounds, and senior star Rohner Segnitz pinned with just a second remaining in the second round at 173.

Fred Luminoso rolled to a 10-1 major decision win at 191 to give the Cats a 29-28 lead heading into the final two bouts of the night.

Kyle Smith lost on a decision at 217 pounds. The Cats trailed 31-29, and Belsheim needed the win at 275 to give Gatos the victory.

Andrew Pease came through with a clutch pin at 114 to give the Cats an important win early in the match. Pease pinned with just five seconds left to wrestle, and those six team points would become valuable to Gatos later in the night.

Dan Benedetti pulled out a 9-5 win at 127 pounds for the Cats and Phillip Allen won on an 11-0 major decision at 137.

Second at Overfelt

Los Gatos came right back a few days later to nail a team second at the rugged Overfelt Classic. Tokay was first with 200.5 team points, and Gatos ended up second at 153.5.

Segnitz and Luminoso topped an impressive list of 10 Gatos placers in the tourney.

Segnitz won an individual title at 171 pounds, winning 9-5 in the finals, and Luminoso followed with a championship aty 189 pounds, winning 8-2 in the finals.

Belsheim won his last match 9-3 to finish third at heavyweight.

Chestnut came through with a fourth at 160 pounds for the Cats, with fifths going to Smith at 215, Pease at 112 and Allen at 135; sixths going to James Pease at 119 and Benedetti at 125; and an eighth going to Scott Stowell at 145.

Wildcat Invitational

Two weeks ago, Los Gatos played host to more than 250 frosh-soph wrestlers in the annual Wildcat Invitational.

Gilroy finished first in the 21-team field, with Fremont second, Lynbrook third and host Los Gatos fourth.

Jeremy May and David Serwitz topped a list of 14 Gatos placers in the tourney, winning individual titles to lead the Wildcats to the team fourth in the rugged event.

May won the crown in the 121-pound weight class, with Serwitz clinching a title in the 127-pound division.

Finishing second for Los Gatos were Derek Smith at 121 and Sean Chang at 132; adding thirds were Dae Jin Joseph at 114, Kynam Doan at 121, Brian Edwards at 137, Jerry Yuhara at 147 and Ryan Ouellet at 154.

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