Photograph by George Sakkestad
Los Gatos mat star Dan Barber, working for a pin in this bout against Monta Vista, will be one of the favorites to win a place at this weekend's Santa Clara Valley Athletic League finals at Cupertino.
By Dick Sparrer
Rohner Segnitz has had quite a season for the Los Gatos wrestling team.
But as far as the Gatos 171-pounder is concerned, it's just beginning.
Because this is the week when things start heating up for high school wrestlers throughout the area. The dual match season is over, and the road to the state tournament begins.
Wrestlers will compete in league finals this week with their sights set on the Central Coast Section and state tournaments.
Segnitz is certainly no different. The state-ranked wrestler will lead his Los Gatos teammates into the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League finals at Cupertino on Feb. 15. The top placers there advance to the CCS finals on Feb. 21-22 at Santa Clara, and from there it's on to the state tournament at the University of the Pacific in Stockton for the top qualifiers.
Segnitz is a top prospect for a state berth, but it all starts Saturday at the league tournament in Cupertino when the second season begins.
The first season, the dual match season, ended last week in impressive fashion for Segnitz and the Wildcats. Gatos turned back Santa Clara 43-26 to wrap up a 4-2 year.
It was quite a season for the Cats, who started the league season with back-to-back losses to Wilcox and Cupertino. But Gatos battled back to beat Monta Vista, Fremont, Los Altos and then Santa Clara to clinch a winning record.
Segnitz was one of a half-dozen Wildcats to win on the mat against the Bruins. The Gatos star nailed an 11-3 victory at 189 pounds to wrap things up for the Cats in the win over Santa Clara.
Dae-Jin Joseph started things off with a quick first-round pin at 103 pounds. Joseph put his opponent down in 1:09 of the first.
James Pease picked up a forfeit win at 112 pounds, and Dan Benedetti pinned at 2:56 of the second round at 119 to get the Wildcats off to an 18-0 start against the Bruins.
After a loss at 125, Jeff Ouellet posted a tight 4-3 victory at 130 pounds for Los Gatos.
The Cats lost again at 140, but Kevin Lenhart pulled out a close 6-4 victory at 140 to get Los Gatos back into the win column.
Los Gatos lost one more at 145, but the Wildcats came back with four straight victories to clinch the team win.
Jeff Chestnut pulled out an 8-6 decision win at 154 pounds before Justin Albano and Dan Barber picked up forfeit wins. Segnitz wrapped up the day with his 11-3 victory at 189.
Barber, Fred Luminoso, Kyle Smith, Benedetti and Ouellet will join Segnitz as top prospects for places at the league tournament this weekend.
Los Gatos recently hosted the Wildcat Invitational Tournament for frosh-soph wrestlers. But they didn't just host the event--the Wildcats won it, too.
Los Gatos had 15 placers in the day-long tournament. Gatos put 11 wrestlers in the championship finals, and six brought home titles.
Individual champions included Lenhart at 140, Benedetti at 119, Kenny Troquato-Perotti at 130, Jarod Pavicich at 145, Albano at 152, and Ouellet at 125.
Nailing seconds for Gatos were Pease at 105, Matt Spears at 140, Phillip Allen at 135, Mike Belsheim at 275 and Alan Wagman at 189.
Picking up a third was Steve Prouty at 105 with Joseph at 105 fifth, and Phillip Carnathan at 100 and Matt Kanzler at 145 each sixth.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, February 12, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.