Sophomore Filip Novachkov won all four of his matches to capture the lowest weight class (103 pounds), earning Outstanding Wrestler honors for the lower weights. His victory sparked the Firebirds to a fifth-place finish in the team standings.

Five other Firebirds placed in the top six. Senior Joseph Seo, rated third in the Central Coast Section among 130-pounders, finished second. He won three straight matches before bowing to Seth Knapp of Loomis in the championship bout.

Seniors Joel Tran (125) and Ernesto Ancona (215) and sophomore Greg Crane (140) registered third-place finishes and sophomore Kurtis Ogasawara took sixth at 135.

Two Homestead seniors and three wrestlers from King's Academy also placed at the event. Mustang Ittai Barzilay claimed third place at 145 pounds and teammate Mark Zosky was fourth at 171. Junior 112-pounder Steven Shimizu and senior 160-pounder Billy Thalin placed fourth for King's, while sophomore Stephen Thalin was sixth at 125.

In winning the 103-pound crown, Novachkov toppled two of the CCS's best in the weight class. He won 15-0 against Terra Nova's Parker Sha, No. 3 in the latest rankings compiled by California Wrestler Newsletter. He followed that up by pinning top-ranked Nicolo Naranjo of Gilroy in the first round.

Tran, Seo and 275-pounder Edgar Mavariegas also nailed pins in the match won by Fremont 42-32. Freshman Borislav Novachkov, Filip's brother, won a 10-4 decision at 103. Ogasawara blitzed his foe 12-0, Crane nailed down a 15-0 technical fall, and Ancona won by forfeit.

The most exciting bout of the match may have been at 189 pounds. Fremont sophomore Tommy Staats, ranked ninth, battled No. 8 Colm Pruvot before dropping a 12-9 decision.

Fremont, coached this season by Paul Escalera, will host Saratoga on Jan. 29 and Los Gatos on Feb. 5.