The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Takedown: Willow Glen's Kurt Watkins pinned at 154 pounds, but the Rams lost 47-18 to Silver Creek to end up second in the division.

WG sports stars return to CCS

Basuino, Willow Glen duo win mat berths

By Dick Sparrer

Rob Basuino of Pioneer and Doug Murr and Mike Von Rueden of Willow Glen certainly know the way to the CCS.

They each followed the road to the playoffs during the football season last fall, and now, some four months later, they're all returning to CCS competition--as wrestlers.

Basuino finished third at 173 pounds to earn a CCS berth for a third straight year for the Mustangs, and Murr and Von Rueden also placed at the Blossom Valley Athletic League tournament last weekend to win CCS spots.

Basuino, who helped Pioneer to the football championship in the West Valley Division of the BVAL last fall, nailed a 12-5 win in his last match at 173 pounds to clinch a CCS spot.

Pioneer's Mike Hobson pinned 24 seconds into the second round to nail third place at 132 pounds, and Grant Murdock nabbed fifth at 191. The two will join Basuino at the CCS finals Feb. 20-21 at Santa Clara High.

Murr tied for fifth at 191 pounds, and Von Rueden was sixth at 217 pounds to earn CCS spots for Willow Glen. Adding eighth places for the Rams were Jeff Ramirez at 142, sophomore Kurt Watkins at 154 and Eric Lupercio at heavyweight, but only the top seven finishers advance to CCS.

Willow Glen had opened the week with a tough 47-18 loss to Silver Creek in the match that would decide the league championship in the West Valley Division. The Raiders ended up first at 6-0, with the Rams second at 4-2.

Watkins, Murr and Von Rueden each nailed second-round pins for the only wins WG wrestlers could manage on the night.

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