Ben and Jerry mix it up at Root Classic

By Dick Sparrer

Ben and Jerry got together last weekend in Saratoga to mix it up, but they sure weren't making ice cream.

No, this was Jerry Galant of Del Mar and Ben Reynolds of Cupertino, and they were mixing it up on the wrestling mat in the 215-pound finals at the 12th annual Jim Root Classic at West Valley Community College in Saratoga.

The two sophomores each won their way into the finals before Galant pinned his second tournament championship of the season with a quick fall in the title match.

Galant was one of four Del Mar placers at the Root Classic, and he and Reynolds were two of six area wrestlers to make the finals at the prestigious tourney.

Ori Kawahara of Saratoga came through with a championship performance at 119 pounds, winning 4-1 in his last match to claim a title for the Falcons.

Junior John Bauman of Westmont was second at 130 pounds in the tourney, and senior Greg Oleynik joined Reynolds as a second-place finisher for Cupertino.

Teammates Melissa Moore, Liem Truong and Mark Basso joined Galant as Del Mar placers at the Root. Truong was third at 112 pounds, Basso was third at 125 and Moore finished third at 103 for the Dons.

Kawahara topped a list of three Saratoga placers at the tournament. Taj Kawahara finished fifth at 125 pounds and Troy Follmar was fifth at 215 for the Falcons.

Bauman was joined by teammates Garreth Gorman and Jason Kennedy as placers for Westmont in the tourney. Gorman, a junior, finished third at 160 pounds and Kennedy, a senior, was fifth at 171 for the Warriors.

Reynolds, Oleynik and Mitch Conley each placed in the tournament for Cupertino. Reynolds and Oleynik were each second, and Conley finished fifth at 112 pounds.

Prospect's Rosso Lucero (140 pounds) and Jason Ashraf (heavyweight) were each third at the Root, Lynbrook's Paul Tseng was third at 125 pounds and Monta Vista's Paul Montanez was fifth at 140.

A week earlier, Westmont's Gorman won an individual title at the 16th annual Gary Bianchini Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Cupertino High.

Gorman headed up a list of three Westmont placers at the Bianchini. The junior was joined by Bauman and Kennedy on the victory stand at the tournament.

Gorman finished first at 160 pounds with Bauman fourth at 130 and Kennedy sixth at 189.

While others competed at the Bianchini, Saratoga wrestlers took part in the Lone Star Invitational at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, and O. Kawahara topped a list of four 'Toga placers.

Kawahara was second at 119 pounds to lead the Saratoga effort at the Lone Star. Follmar came through with a fourth-place finish at 215 pounds, David Surrette was fifth at 112 and Jarrod Usher nailed a sixth at 140.

In dual match competition last week, Saratoga rolled to a 45-22 win over Lynbrook in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

The Kawahara brothers, Ori at 119 and Taj at 125, each nailed second-round pins to lead the Falcons to the lopsided victory. Follmar pinned in the second round at 215 pounds and heavyweight Jason Arnold capped the day with a quick pin in 1:01.

The win helped the Falcons improve to 4-0 in dual match competition this winter.

In other local action, Westmont wrestlers won four matches, but the Warriors lost a 54-18 decision to Santa Teresa in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

Gorman pinned with 40 seconds left in the first round at 160 pounds and Kennedy pinned with 17 seconds remaining in his match at 171, but the Warriors lost to the Saints.

Bauman came through with a 13-10 victory at 130 pounds and senior Ashkon Jadali won a tight 8-7 decision at 140.

The Warriors slipped to 0-2 in the division.

Pins by Lucero at 140, Richard Tapia at 171, Brian Baumgarten at 189, David Ashraf at 215 and J. Ashraf at heavyweight sparked Prospect to a rousing 56-30 win over Branham in the West Valley Division of the BVAL.

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12th Annual Jim Root Wrestling Classic

Photo: Redwood Middle School Girls Basketball Team