The Firebirds have qualified wrestlers in 12 weight classes for the prestigious tournament, and, in the process, the 'Birds passed dual match champion Cupertino to finish second at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League tournament.

"This is the most we've taken in a long time," said Soto. "It's pretty cool."

The crowd of Firebirds give Fremont a good shot at finishing in the top five at the tournament.

"That's our aim," added Soto. "We definitely have the guys to surprise some people."

He'll get no argument on that score from Los Gatos coach Scott Downs, whose Wildcats won the team title at the league tournament.

"I think Bobby's got his team ready," said Downs of Fremont.

Los Gatos ran up 245 team points to win the tourney title on Saturday, and Fremont was second at 200.5. Cupertino was third at 172.5 after winning the league dual match crown.

"To go undefeated in league, especially in our league, is something to be really proud of," said Cupertino coach Jay Lawson, whose squad was 6-0 in the dual match season.

Lawson led the Pioneers to their 10th league championship in 16 seasons at Cupertino. The league tournament marked his SCVAL swan song as he announced his retirement from coaching after leading teams to 13 championships in 27 seasons. He started coaching at Homestead, then won three titles at Monta Vista before settling at Cupertino.

The Pioneers made Lawson's final league tournament memorable, with three wrestlers winning league titles and nine qualifying for CCS.

"If they can all pick up some points, I think we could be in the top six at CCS," said Lawson. "Gilroy is the favorite, and Los Gatos and Bellarmine have each qualified 14 wrestlers. And Silver Creek is good."

The coach also figures that Fremont and his own Pioneers rank among the best in CCS.

"I think our league will be well-represented at CCS," he said.

Add in Monta Vista sophomore Dan Montanez and the SCVAL will have an impressive crew at the section tournament.

Individual champions Joseph Seo and Daniel Atondo led the Firebirds to a team second at the league tournament and head up the contingent of nine headed to CCS.

"The kids really impressed me with their performance," said Soto. "They wrestled their guts out."

Seo won three matches to take the individual title at 127 pounds. The Fremont senior pinned Holden Groves of Los Gatos in the finals.

Atondo, another senior, posted a 10-4 win in the finals to take the 162-pound title. Like Seo, he was 3-0 in the tournament and was named the outstanding wrestler in the upper weights.

Senior Bayardo Sanchez lost a 2-1 heartbreaker to Montanez in the finals to finish second at 147 pounds for the Firebirds, and senior Josh Desherlia lost 13-4 to Bobby Pease of Los Gatos in the finals at 147 pounds to nail second. Desherlia had upset defending CCS champion Justin Carscadon of Wilcox in the semifinals.

Freshman Greg Crane had an impressive day with a second at 132 pounds for the Firebirds. He lost a close 4-2 nod to Adam Morgenthaler of Los Gatos in the title match.

Junior Ernesto Ancona won two matches before losing on injury default to finish second at 217 pounds for Fremont.

DeMarr Mills, a senior, was third at 173 pounds, and Tom Staats, a freshman, was third at 191 for the Firebirds.

Adding fifths for Fremont were freshmen Michael Alpers at 114 and Curtis Ogosawara at 121 and juniors Joel Tran at 137 and Edgar Mazariegos at 277.

Individual champions Mitch Conley, Jaime Mejia-Beher and Andrew Reese led Cupertino to a team third at the tournament.

Reese wrestled just one match to take the title at 217 pounds. He drew a first-round bye before beating Ivan Batinich of Los Gatos in the semifinals. He won by injury default over Ancona in the finals to take his title. Reese, a senior, is now 32-7 for the year.

Mejia-Beher ran his season record to 32-4 with three wins at 173 pounds at the finals. The senior nailed a 7-1 win over a Gunn opponent in the title match.

Conley rolled to a 13-4 win over Matt Miguel of Los Gatos in the finals to take the title at 121 pounds. The senior is now 28-6 for the year heading into CCS.

Ben Reynolds, seeded No. 1 at CCS with a 34-2 season record, ended up second at 193 pounds when he lost on an injury default. Reynolds is a defending CCS placer who ended up eighth at the state meet last year.

Thirds went to David Kullmann at 162 pounds, Alex Wu at 105 and Nykole Ramirez-Baker at 277. Elliott Gavino was fourth at 132, and Brett Haraguchi was fifth at 142.

Monta Vista's Montanez and Roger Kapul will also make the trip to CCS after placing at the league tournament.

Montanez, just a sophomore, won his second straight league title with the 2-1 win over Sanchez at 154 pounds. Montanez is 25-5 this season after posting a 23-7 mark as a freshman.

Kapul, a freshman, finished fourth at 121 pounds to win a trip to CCS. Monta Vista also placed nine wrestlers at the junior varsity tournament.

"We're gearing up for the future," said Monta Vista coach Brian Woo.