Flashes Wrestlers have strong showing against Nordoff in League Match

On Wednesday 1/18/12 the Flashes hosted Nordoff for a League Wrestling Match. After a strong showing at Chaminade the Flashes looked focused yet loose and relaxed for the 5:00 PM match up. The evening started with 3 JV matches and came away with 2 wins and 1 loss. Jonathon Minero, recovering from an injury, stepped back into the ring and won on points. Andrew Bonilla, a freshman, gave it his all but ultimately pinned by his opponent. Alexis Ramirez matched up against a Nordoff’s lone female wrestler and was able to pin her in the 2nd period.

Varsity wrestling started off at the 126 pound weight category. Reporting for Fillmore was Micah Chumley who won by forfeit. Team Captain Robert Bonilla came out fast and strong overwhelming his opponent quickly showing his aggressive technique. Bonilla won by pin. Mark “the man behind the mask” Zavala, also a Team Captain, went into the 3rd period and found his opportunity to pin his man for the win. Alex Rivera won by points in what was the lowest match score of the night 2 – 0. Rudolfo Lopez wrestled well but was pinned by his opponent. Gilbert Murillo a relatively new wrestler gave it 100% and was able to make correction during the match while Coaches Ponce and Estrada calling in the moves, but he was ultimately pinned by Nordoff. Joseph “Beast” DeLaMora showed his sheer physical dominance and pinned his man for the win. Michael Castro lost by pin in the 2nd period. George Orozco won by forfeit. Sammy “They Bull” Orozco, Team Captain, put on a points clinic and decided to win by technical default rather than by pin as is his usual preference. Marco Vega, Team Captain, won by forfeit as did David Cadena. Nic Stehly and freshman on the Varsity Team, lost to a Senior from Nordoff but not before showing great promise. Joseph Rojas, a freshman for the Flashes, also lost by pin.

The final match score was Fillmore 44 – Nordoff 30.

Next week Fillmore hosts two matches. On Tuesday 1/24/12 LA Baptist travels to Fillmore for a 5:00 start time. This match will be held in the High School Gym.

On 1/25/12 the Santa Paula Cardinals travel to Fillmore. This match will be held in the Middle School Gym. Santa Paula has been the reigning league champions for 3 years in a row. The Flashes fielding a full squad hopes to change that record this year. If can only see one Flashes Wrestling Match this year this will be the one you’ll want to see. Come prepared because this will be off the hook good.

On Saturday 1/7/12 the Flashes traveled to Chaminade High School in North Hills for the annual Chaminade Tournament. Chaminade always hosts a great tournament which is attended by big wrestling schools such as St. John Bosco and Bishop Alemany. After Saturday’s matches the Flashes can be added to the list of tough wrestling schools.
The Flashes fielded both JV and Varsity team for the match. Coach Calderon and Coach Ponce split their efforts with Coach Calderon taking the Lady Flashes to the Santa Paula All Girls Tournament. Coach Ponce had his hands full running both JV and Varsity squads, but as always Coach Ponce delivered the goods.
Standout JV Flashes wrestlers include: Nic Stehly at 113 pounds who took 1st place, David Cadena at 106 took 2nd place, George Orozco wrestled at 195 and took 1st place, Cameron Riley wrestled at 220 pounds and took 2nd place and Andy Vasquez matched up in the heavyweight division and came home with a 1st place. Great job JV Flashes.

As for the Varsity they meant business and they let their wrestling speak for them.
Robert Bonilla, Flashes Team Captain, wrestled at 138 pounds and went 5 – 0, with 4 pins and 1 bye, taking 1st place. He was voted on by all Coaches and was awarded Tournament Middle Weight MVP.
Sammy “The Bull” Orozco wrestled at 220 pounds and took 1st place with a record of 5 – 0, 4 by pin and 1 bye. Sam missed being awarded Tournament Heavy weight MVP by one vote.
Joseph DeLaMora wrestled at 170 pounds and took 1st with 3pins and 2 byes.
Mark Zavala took 2nd place with a record of 4-1, 3 wins by pin, 1 by points.

The Lady Flashes wrestled at the Santa Paula All Girls Tournament on Saturday. If you’re not aware of it the sport of wrestling is exploding with girls taking up the sport. Schools from as far south as San Diego and as far north as Santa Maria were in attendance. The Flashes have 9 female wrestlers in the program this year, unfortunately only 6 were able to attend the tournament. The wrestling was fierce and very competitive. Felicity Zavala placed 5th in her weight category. Blanca and Brenda both had 2 wins and Megan and Daisy were unable to get a win but got lots of mat time and gain valuable experience.

Stay tuned for video highlights of the tournament.

Upcoming Matches:
Thursday 1/12/12: Flashes travel to New Jewish Community 4:00 PM

Friday and Saturday 1/13 & 14: Flashes travel to Palmdale for the Highland 10 way.
Action starts promptly at 1:00 PM on Friday and 9:00 AM on Saturday.

Saturday 1/13/12: JV travel to Hueneme for a JV 10 Way. 9:00 AM.

(l-r) Coach Ponce, Marco Vega (heavyweight took seventh place), Coach Cal, Robert Bonilla (132 lbs took third place), and Coach Froggy. It's been over ten years since a Fillmore wrestler placed at this tournament. There were over 20 schools participating.
Enlarge Photo

Fillmore Flashes Senior Robert Bonilla earns a bronze medal at the Gold Coast Classic.
Bonilla wrestled at 132 pounds and had a record of 3 wins, 1 loss. Bonilla won his first round with a Bye, due to tournament seeding. In his second match he pinned his opponent. Bonilla was pinned in his third round match for his only loss. Bonilla tech'ed his fourth round opponent with a score of 16 - 1. Outstanding performance by Bonilla.

Marco Vega, wrestling in the Heavy Weight Class, earned 7th place in the tournament.

Stay tuned for Match Highlight footage, coming soon.

Correction: The Gold Coast Classic is a one day tournament, not two day as previously reported.

The Annual Gold Coast Classic wrestling tournament begins today, 11/20. This is a two day individuals style tournament. Lose two and you're out. Historically this is where toughness is measured and wrestler grit is determined. Good luck to all the Flashes participating in the Gold Coast. Stay tuned for video highlights.

Go Flashes!

Video highlights, from the Flashes versus Fremont wrestling match. Film supplied by Jorge Bonilla.

Fillmore Wrestling 12 14 11 Match Highlights

Fillmore Wrestling 12 14 11 Fastest Pin

Fillmore Wrestling 12 14 11 Match of the Night

On 12/13/11 the Flashes hosted Fremont for the Flashes first home wrestling match of the 2011/12 season. Under the watchful eyes of Coach Calderon, Ponce and Penzato the Flashes protected their home mat against Fremont. The Varsity Flashes came out on top with a final score of 51 – 30 over Fremont. Nice work Flashes! Match videos will be uploaded soon, stay tuned to the Flashes Wrestling Blog.
132 Micah Chumley beat his opponent on points.
138 Robert Bonilla pinned his opponent.
145 Mark Zavala won by pin.
152 Alex Rivera also won by pin.
170 Joseph DeLaMora won on points.
220 Sammy Orozco won by pin.
Heavyweight Marco Vega won by pin.
Fillmore won the following weight classes by forfeit: 106 and 112
Flashes “Fastest Pin” goes to Heavyweight Marco Vega for pinning his opponent within 60 seconds. At weigh-ins Marco gave up 13 pounds to a heavier opponent, but that didn’t seem to slow Vega down one bit. Great work Marco for getting it done quickly.
Prior to the Varsity match several JV Wrestlers took to the mat. Coach Calderon reported that Lilly Duran really came out prepared to wrestle and awarded her the “Flashes Standout Match of the Night”. “Lilly is relatively new to wrestling and is building on her skills… tonight she used her basic wrestling skills to control her opponent… I am really proud of her effort” said Coach Calderon. Unfortunately the Flashes lost the JV Match against Fremont.
Up Next: Flashes travel to Channel Islands for the Channel Island 10 Way on Friday and Saturday. Flashes, go represent!

Flashes Wrestlers earn GOLD and SILVER at Camarillo 10 Way Tournament

On December 9 - 10, the Fillmore Flashes traveled to Camarillo to compete in the Camarillo 10 Way Tournament. This is the first large tournament to kick off the Flashes wrestling season. For new wrestlers, this may be the first experience walking into a gym with 6 mats packed with wrestlers and coaches and stands packed with parents and fans. The atmosphere is loud and, at first, seems rather chaotic with matches going off randomly, whistles blowing, coaches coaching and wrestlers encouraging their teammates. It can be overwhelming and intimidating to the uninitiated. For the seasoned wrestlers, this is where they want to be. All the gym time, all the practice, all the mat time, and all the video watching leads up to this point; match time. Some of the Flashes have been here before. They know what to expect and they know the work that lies before them. For new Flashes wrestlers, this is an opportunity to be tried and tested, to compete, and to learn and grow.
A full squad is comprised of 14 wrestlers. Team points are tallied by combining the score of each individual wrestler. Each individual wrestler earns a win/loss record at each tournament in their respective weight class. This allows both school and individual to be ranked. For the Camarillo 10 Way the Flashes fielded the following squad.
Weight Class / Wrestler Name / Tournament Record (wins –loss)
106 David Cadena 4-6
113 Nick Stehly 1-9
120 Joseph Rojas 3-7
126 Micah Chumley 5-5 (2 pins)
132 Forfeited class
138 Robert Bonilla 9-1, (7 pins, 2 decision)
145 Forfeited class
152 Mark Zavala 2-8
160 Alex Rivera 5-5, (3 fault pins)
171 Jonathon Munoz 1-9
182 Forfeited class
195 Michael Castro 5-5
220 Sam Orozaco 10-0. (9 pins)
HW Marco Vega 9-1, (9 pins)

As a team, the Flashes were victorious over the following schools: Rio Mesa 48-33, San Luis Obisbo 39-33, and Harvard Westlake 39-36. As a team the Flashes lost to Pacific 54-22, Centennial 69-6, Pioneer 62-18, Thousand Oaks 60-24, Camarillo 51-27 and Ayala 42-30. The Flashes tied in their match with San Marcos 42-42.

After two days of wrestling, the following Flashes earned Gold and Silver Individual medals for their efforts:
Sam Orozco, wrestling at 220 pound, was perfect with 10 wins and 0 losses. 9 of Orozco’s wins were by pin. This level of effort earned Sam “The Bull” 1st place in the 220 lbs weight class.
Robert Bonilla , wrestling at 138 pound, ended up with a 9-1 record. He earned 2nd place in his class. Robert’s loss was to a California State Masters competitor. At the end of three periods of wrestling it came down to points, 5-2.
Marco Vega, wrestling Heavy Weight Class, earned 2nd place with a 9-1 overall record. All of Marco’s wins were by pin. It’s worth noting that Marco is “wrestling up” and is giving up 50 pounds in some cases to his opponents.

When asked what this week has in store for the Flashes, Coach Calderon explained,
“Some of wrestlers, like Mark Zavala, will be able to move to their normal weight class. Once that happens I expect to see great things…Mark’s results this past weekend do not reflect his wrestling ability and talent; I expect great things from him and our other wrestlers… This will be an exciting season once we fill out all the weight classes and stop giving up team points due to forfeits”.

On Wednesday, 12/14/11, Freemont will travel to Fillmore for a Flashes home match. JV Matches will begin at 5:00 PM with Varsity Matches immediately following. Come on out and support the Flashes Wrestling Team!

I checked in with Coach on 12/9/11 and he was very excited to report that he’s brought in a real “Technician” for the Flashes to learn from. I was introduced to Ian Penzato and had the opportunity to see his instruction to the Fillmore Flashes Mat Rats. Coach Penzato wrestled at Lincoln College in Illinois but was unable to make the final team due injury. When asked about his wrestling career he was upbeat and said “even though I didn’t make the final team due to a severe knee injury I am proud to say that wrestling go me to college”. For those that are unaware wrestling is THE sport back east. If you are on your High School Varsity Team people in town know who you are and they support you. The stands are filled to capacity for matches, weekly local access TV shows are produced which highlight wrestling, the wrestlers themselves and what to expect at the next match. Coach Penzato said “I hope to be able to teach the Flashes a few things and ramp up wrestling in Fillmore”. Coach Calderon continues to find a way to elevate wrestling at Fillmore High School and the addition of Coach Penzato to his staff should yield great results for the Flashes. Also on the mat tonight was Coach Ponce who is assisted by Flashes alumni and well respected wrestler, now MMA fighter, Jose “Froggy” Estrada.
When I asked the Coach who is looking solid at this point in the season Coach Cal said “Robert Bonillo is wrestling with a lot of intensity this year, he’s like a tiger on the mat, really aggressive and focused”. “Mark Zavala is our “Technician” this year and has a lot of moves in his arsenal” said Calderon. “I’m just really excited about what I’m seeing from all the Flashes wrestlers this year”. Based upon the amount of sweat on the backs of the squad at 7:15 PM I think we all should look forward to what the Flashes Wrestlers achieve this season.

12/9/11 the Flashes travel to Camarillo for the Camarillo 10 Way Tournament two day tournament. The Flashes brought home several gold medals last year and they hope to better that this season. Go Flashes!

On 12/7/11 the Flashes made the trek to Santa Ynez for the midweek match. Coach Calderon was excited and upbeat about the performance turned in by his wrestlers. The match final score was Santa Ynez 53 – Fillmore 30. Last year Fillmore earned a total of 6 points against Santa Ynez. 2011 is looking good for us” said Coach Cal. Winning by pin against Santa Ynez was, Robert Bonilla 138 pounds, Jonathon Minero 145 pounds, Mark Zavala 152 pounds, George Orozco 195 pounds and Sam Orozco 220 pounds. “The score doesn’t do justice to the level that Fillmore wrestled at.” “We either won by pin or lost by pin and we forfeited at 132 pounds, so I’m pleased with what they did” said Coach Cal. “The ones we lost by pin it comes boils down to technique. We’ve got some freshmen in our lineup and they’re learning and coming along really well”.

On 12/3/11 the Lady Flashes Wrestlers traveled to Thousand Oaks for the TO All Girl’s Tournament. Outstanding performances were turned in by the Lady Flashes, once again proving that wrestling is all about heart, dedication to the sport and less about gender. At the end of the match Alexis Ramirez brought home a Silver medal for 2nd place. Felicity Zavala brought home a bronze with a 3rd overall at 114 pounds. Kiana Ramirez and Brenda Alvarez both stood tall with a 5th place in their respective weight class. Great work girls!

The Flashes 2011/12 Wrestling Season has begun. What's new this season for Flashes Wrestling? New faces and new names, a lot of them. The under classes at Fillmore High School are well represented in the JV ranks this year. Many of the new wrestlers are football players who report "We want to stay in shape". News Flashes fellas, you don't know what "shape" is until you've wrestled. Their hearts in the right place and they'll pick up the skills needed to compete. The rookie wreslters have excellent examples to look to on the mat. Wrestling is all about dedication and Fillmore has some hard core wrestlers which should inspire the first timers. Some of the returners from last year include; Mark Zavala, Marco "Hot Dog" Vega, George Orosco, Sammy "The Bull" Orosco, Robert Bonilla, Alex Rivera, Cameron Riley, just to name a few. Returning from a one year break is Micah Chumley adding to the ranks of experience.

This is the year for Lady Flashes to break out and make a statement. From the depth of the roster it looks like the Lady Flashes have about 13 on the roster.

Coach Calderon returns to Fillmore as Head Coach. Assisting Coach Cal is Manuel Ponce. Look for a video blog report on all the coaches for the Flashes in the next few weeks, as well as the Wreslter Introductions.

Flashes Wrestling - BELIEVE.

Wrestler Hydration Test Scheduled for 11/22/11
This is a mandatory test for all Wrestlers. What is the purpose of the test and how are the results used you ask? Read the information below gathered from CIF appendix on Weight Management.

FROM CIF
HYDRATION INFORMATION
The purpose of the hydration test is to help assure that each wrestler’s weight taken at the time of
measurements is an accurate weight from which a minimum weight can be established. Below are some
guidelines that can help you prepare for the hydration test. But staying hydrated means more than passing
the hydration test. It is an important step in making sure you perform your best in your sport.
Water is second only to air in its importance to our survival. Our bodies are 60 to 65% water by weight.
Much of this fluid weight comes from the muscles (70% water) and the blood – both of which are critical
to optimal athletic and wrestling performance. Dehydration compromises muscular endurance and
strength. Dehydration also decreases blood volume, which can decrease athletic performance and
increase the risk for heat illness (heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke).
The key to staying hydrated is to drink plenty of non-caffeinated beverages throughout the day, and to
replace fluid loss incurred while working out. On a daily basis, this will help you feel stronger and last
longer at practice and matches. It will help you pass the hydration test before your measurements are
taken.
Below are some guidelines:
* Two hours prior to hydration test have wrestler drink 24 ounces of water (three cups).
Drink 8 to 10 (8 ounces) glasses of water, or non-caffeinated beverages daily.
* Drink another 4 cups for every hour you workout. If you have a 2-hour football practice,
that means an additional 8 cups of fluids. Individuals who sweat heavily or are in a hot
environment may need to drink 6 to 8 cups of non-caffeinated beverage for each hour
they workout.
* 2 hours before the game, match or hydration test, drink 16 to 24 ounces of water or noncaffeinated
beverage. The 2-hour time frame will allow the body to clear excess fluid
from the body. Being dehydrated, then drinking immediately prior to an athletic contest
or the hydration test will do little to help improve performance or pass the hydration test.
* These tips stress avoiding caffeine, because caffeine is a diuretic. That means it
increases urine production. Increased urine production means you are losing extra
fluids, essential for top performance and will likely become dehydrated. Caffeine is a
common ingredient in some sodas, coffee beverages and some teas. Chocolate and
some pain relievers may also contain caffeine. Additionally, carbonated beverages will
also contribute to the sensation of “feeling full” or bloated. This sensation may be
counter-productive, as it will likely diminish the thirst drive.
Carefully following these guidelines, along with the recommendations in The Wrestler’s Diet will
increase your chances for a healthy, safe and successful high school wrestling season.

The Flashes 2011/12 Wrestling Season has begun. What's new this season for Flashes Wrestling? New faces and new names, a lot of them. The under classes at Fillmore High School are well represented in the JV ranks this year. Many of the new wrestlers are football players who report "We want to stay in shape". News Flashes fellas, you don't know what "shape" is until you've wrestled. Their hearts in the right place and they'll pick up the skills needed to compete. The rookie wreslters have excellent examples to look to on the mat. Wrestling is all about dedication and Fillmore has some hard core wrestlers which should inspire the first timers. Some of the returners from last year include; Mark Zavala, Marco "Hot Dog" Vega, George Orosco, Sammy "The Bull" Orosco, Robert Bonilla, Alex Rivera, Cameron Riley, just to name a few. Returning from a one year break is Micah Chumley adding to the ranks of experience.

This is the year for Lady Flashes to break out and make a statement. From the depth of the roster it looks like the Lady Flashes have about 13 on the roster.

Coach Calderon returns to Fillmore as Head Coach. Assisting Coach Cal is Manuel Ponce. Look for a video blog report on all the coaches for the Flashes in the next few weeks, as well as the Wreslter Introductions.

Flashes Wrestling - BELIEVE.

Video Highlights from CIF competition. See match report following videos for full details.

Fillmore Wrestling CIF Conaway's First Match

Fillmore Wrestling CIF Orosco's First Match

Fillmore Wrestling CIF Zavala Second Match

Fillmore Wrestling CIF Conaway's Third Match

Flashes attend and participate in the CIF Southern Section Central Division Individual Wrestling Tournament this past weekend.

The host school was Colony High School in Ontario. The tournament was run extremely well with six mat of wrestling action taking place from 11 AM on Friday to 7 PM.
To advance to the Quarter, Semi and Finals on Saturday a wrestler would have to win three matches in the double elimination tournament. On average each weight bracket had about 30 wrestlers competing. By rough calculations that equates to 420 wrestlers participating in the tournament.

Flashes earning the right to represent their school were; Robert Bonilla, Mark Zavala, Kyle Castaneda, Jonathon Minero, Alex Rivera, Christian Conaway, Marco Vega and Sammy Orosco.

Wrestlers who had a bye the first round were; Minero, Rivera and Orosco.
Conaway won his first match by pin. The remainder of the Flashes lost their first match.

Zavala won his second match by injury forfeit. Orosco won his second round match by pin. Conaway wrestled the #1 seed and lost by pin, the remainder of the Flashes lost their second round matches.

Conaway won his third round match by pin in 25 seconds. Most of the other Flashes lost their third round matches and were eliminated from the competition.

Orosco and Conaway advanced to the 4th round. Conaway lost his fourth round match with less than 1 second remaining in the 1st period. Both Conaway and his opponent were wrestling like fighting snakes on the mat with each earning take down points, and back points and reversal points during the first period. The official questioned the timer to see if the pin call happened on the buzzer or after. It was ruled that the pin was at the buzzer which handed Conaway his fourth loss eliminating him from advancing further.
Orosco wrestled the #1 seed in his weight class for the fourth round. Sammy lost the match on points. Sammy went the full count with the #1 seed and wasn’t pinned, which was an amazing feat.

Orosco advanced to wrestle on Saturday but was handed his second loss by points.

Hats off to Flashes Wrestling and the Wrestlers for having a vision all season and staying focused on their goal. While the outcome wasn’t the dream finish some had hoped for they represented themselves with pride, wrestled full speed all year under a very aggressive 40 match season (not including League Finals or CIF ) and earned the respect of the Tri Valley League and beyond.
All of their success wouldn’t have been possible if it were not for Coach Bob Calderon who donates so much of his time, talent and resources. He’s coached Flashes Wrestling for 24 years and does so with passion for the sport and the kids. Coach Manual Ponce is the driving force for motivating and teaching the wrestlers. Coach Cal and Coach Manual work well together as can be verified by the number of dedicated wrestler who earned league championships.

Flashes CIF Video Match Highlights to be uploaded shortly.

Looking forward the Flashes will have their Wrestling Banquet and awards.

A select few Flashes Wrestlers will get an early start to their day Friday, February 18. Coach Bob will load up 8 Flashes that qualified to compete in the CIF Southern Section Central Division Individuals and will hit the road at 5:30 AM. The squad will travel to Colony High School in Ontario for the 8 AM sign ins, followed by the 9 AM weight check. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 11 AM.

To prepare for CIF Individuals the squad has practiced with other Tri-Valley League elite wrestlers who will be competing at the event. Fillmore, Nordoff and Santa Paula have been working out together and running drill after drill to fine tune their skills. The workouts have been good for many as the new routines have caused them to rethink their norms and try new skills.

Coach Bob provided some clarity to the wrestlers during a brief break on Tuesday. With his squad of wrestlers gathered around him he said, "It's up to you, if you want it you have to have heart and go out and get it. That doesn't apply just to wrestling that applies to life in general". Well said Coach.

For the 2010-2011 season Fillmore Flashes Wrestling has stood up to make a statement about who they are and what they are capable of. This coming weekend the Flashes will be tested. As with physically demanding sports, an athlete’s health can be a factor due to the length of the season, this may be the case this weekend. Win or lose, we know what is in the hearts of these young men.

Representing their League, their school and now themselves this weekend are:
Robert Bonilla
Mark Zavala
Kyle Castaneda
Jonathon Minero
Alex Rivera
Christian Conaway
Marco Vega
Sammy Orozco

Trivia. It's not uncommon to see military influence at large tournaments. Why would the Navy or Army have a presence at a wrestling tournament? During one conversation with an Armed Forces Representative it was gleaned that the members present were from elite sections of our military, Rangers and SEALS to reference a few. Sound strange? Their answer as to why they have a presence says it all. We know wrestlers are tough, they're physically fit, they are disciplined, they follow direction, they don't give up, they don't harbor ill will or linger on a loss, they get back up and try again and they do it over and over again. These are the same qualities that a successful Special Forces member must possess.

This week the focus is on our Lady Flashes Wrestlers. Female High School Wrestling is a sport recognized by CIF, in which female wrestlers can earn their Letter in. The sport is the great equalizer and the rules are the same for males as they are for females. Talent and ability is rewarded based upon the athletes performance. Today's video clips highlight some of the Lady Flashes at the Tri Valley League Finals. By all accounts female participating in the sport is on the upswing.

Alvarez vs Santa Paula Championship Match

F Zavala vs Santa Paula Championship Match

Rivera vs Nordoff Championship Match

Coach Calderon with his team.
Enlarge Photo

Numerous Flashes earn league Championships at the 2010-2011 Tri Valley League Individual Championship Tournament
On Thursday, 2/3/11, The Flashes Wrestlers traveled to New Jewish Community Center in West Hills for the Tri Valley League Individual Championships hosted by New Jewish Community High School. The Jaguars are year two into their wrestling program. Based upon the physical conditioning and team growth rate since last year their future looks bright. They did an outstanding job hosting the League Finals by all measurements.
Several of the Flashes wrestlers had their game face on early in the day. Some teams can be described as “mat rats”, always on the mat and moving. The Flashes have been called “mat possums” by Coach Cal. By all outward appearances they look dead then come to life at the Officials starting whistle. The Flashes are introverted and almost silent while waiting for the action to begin. They walk slow, but with purpose, heading to the score table. Yep, mat possums says it all.
Prior to each wrestler taking to the mat the team “sends out” their wrestler. It’s the equivalent of a lying on of hands sort of thing accompanied by a team shout of the wrestlers name or nickname and the team motto. Early in the season the team came up with the motto “DO WORK”. Fitting for a team who had their eyes on the prize and knew what it’d take to get there. And get there they did. Their effort can be seen by the Individual league results below.
First and Second Place in each weight category advance to CIF Individuals, for the rest their season is over. Expectations ran high amongst the Flashes Coaching Staff and the Team. Parents and Fans also had high expectations for a lengthened season. And the results are in:
105 Girls: Felicity Zavala 1st
160 Girls: Alexis Ramirez 1st
119: Robert Bonilla 2nd
130: Mark Zavala. 1st
135: Kyle Castenada 1st
140: Johnny Minero 1st
145: Alex Rivera 1st
152: Christian Conaway 1st
215: Sammy Orosco 1st
Additionally the League awards two wrestlers with MVP status based upon their record and effort throughout the season. Flashes Co-Captain Christian Conaway, 33-7, was awarded the Upper Weight Tri Valley League MVP by unanimous vote. The Flashes took home a Team tournament 2nd Place and 2nd Place in Team League Standing for the season.
The Individual CIF Southern Section Division Individual Tournament will be held February 19 and 20th. The location is TBA. “DO WORK” and Go Flashes!

Tuesday night The Flashes hosted New Jewish Community for their final regular season match for the 2010-2011season. Due to scheduling issues the match was held in the Flashes Wrestling Room. Spectator space was limited but everyone was accommodated who wanted watch the match. The match begun in timely fashion right at 6:00 PM. Each team gave up 3 forfeits in various weight classes due to vacancies which meant this match was going to come down to a head to head match up. The match started at the 103 weight class. Due to injury of Flashes Wrestler Felicity Zavala the 112 match ended in a Fillmore forfeit. Credit goes out to Felicity for showing Flashes spirit. From then on the Flashes began to roll over New Jewish Community. The Flashes racked up pin after pin and in the end all matches were won by pin. The final score was Flashes 60, Jaguars 24.

Tonight’s Highlight video is of Cameron Riley’s match, who wrestled in the heavyweight class. He did a great job of staying with his opponent and taking advantage and getting the job done. See video below of his performance.

Next up: Thursday, 2/3/11, The Flashes compete in League Finals at New Jewish Community. Wrestling action begins at 2:00 PM.