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Photograph by Tsutomu Fujita
Fremont's Amantha Hordagoda of Fremont works for a 10-4 win over Alex Wu of Cupertino in a key bout in last week's dual between the two teams. The Pioneers pulled out a thrilling 37-36 win over the Firebirds.
Pioneers win last match to top Fremont
Ramirez-Baker pulls out 6-5 win at 152
By Dick Sparrer
Jay Lawson was expecting a close match when his Cupertino wrestling team played host to Fremont last week.
But even the veteran mat coach could not have anticipated just how close it would actually be.
Cupertino's Kayn Ramirez-Baker won by a point in the final bout of the night to give the Pioneers a thrilling 37-36 win over Fremont in a crucial match in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.
"It was extremely exciting," said Lawson. "That was probably the most excited I've ever been at a dual meet wrestling match."
He had good reason to be excited. His Pioneers pulled out the win with a solid come-from-behind effort against the Firebirds.
The match started with the 160-pound bout (because of a rule change, the first match is determined by draw after weigh-ins, then matches follow in their regular order). Fremont's Daniel Atondo pinned at 160, but then Cupertino ran off four straight pins to take a 24-6 lead.
The squads split at 103 and 112, but then it was Fremont stringing together five straight wins--four by fall--to go up 36-30 with just two matches remaining.
Mohammad Gorgestani came through with a clutch 15-7 win over Josh Desherlia at 145 pounds to cut the lead to 36-34 heading into the final match.
"Right at the end, he put the guy on his back for an eight-point decision (good for four team points)," said Lawson of Gorgestani. "Now we were only down by two points."
All Cupertino needed was a decision win by Kayn Ramirez-Baker over Luke Tran at 152 pounds for the team victory. But that would be no easy task, considering that he had lost 4-1 to Tran in the finals of the Westmont Tournament earlier in the year.
The wrestlers were tied after a period, but Ramirez-Baker turned Tran to his back for a near fall in the second.
"That was the turning point right there," said Lawson of Ramirez-Baker, who went on to clinch a 6-5 victory.
"It was such a great match," added the coach, "and such a great win for us."
The night started with Atondo's pin for Fremont 160 pounds. Cupertino's David Kullmann was leading in points when he was turned in the second round and pinned at 3:32.
But then Cupertino went on a tear. Andrew Reese pinned 40 seconds in the second round at 171, Jaime Mejia-Beher won by fall with 42 seconds left in the second period at 189, Michael Joiner pinned at 2:28 of the second round at 215 and Ben Reynolds pinned with five seconds left in the first period at 275.
"We're pretty strong in the upper weights," said Lawson.
Amantha Hordagoda of Fremont and Alex Wu of Cupertino locked up in a big match at 103 pounds.
"That was another great match, and a key match for us," said Lawson.
But it was Hordagoda nailing a 10-4 win for the Firebirds.
"The girl from Fremont (Hordagoda) is just a tremendous wrestler," added the Cupertino coach. "And that was a huge win for them."
Cupertino junior Mitch Conley answered right back with a pin at 1:52 of the first round at 112 to keep the Pioneers in front. But no for long. Fremont won five matches in a row to take the lead.
Joel Tran pinned 18 seconds into the third round at 119 and Chris Osian won by fall with 55 seconds left to wrestle at 125. John Seo pulled out a tight 8-5 win over Cupertino's Brett Haraguchi at 130.
Alvin Cacdac pinned at 1:32 of the first round at 135 and Bayardo Sanchez pinned with 59 seconds left at 140.
"Fremont is really, really solid from '19s to '40s," said Lawson. "We were pretty discouraged until we won at '45s."
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
