Grapplers beat San Marcos in game that wows crowd
The Bulldog wrestling team staged a dramatic come from behind victory over San Marcos in a league match on the road.
The crowd was on its feet for the heavyweight bout, with San Marcos leading Ramona 34-33 and big man, Jake Kaliskis, delivered big time as he scored a 5-0 decision to give the Dawgs a 36-34 victory. Ramona had to overcome a 34-21 lead to pull off the win.
“It was great win, especially since San Marcos had beaten us earlier at the Hamada Duals 39-1,” said Ramona coach Steve Koch, who had little voice left after the match. “Some of our better wrestlers had some tough matches and we bounced back as a team to win in a hostile environment. Jake (Kaliskis) came through in the clutch. He had a lot of pressure on him in a hostile gym and delivered big time.”
Zach Lane (103) started the match by beating Austin McKnight of the Knights by fall in 1:26. The lead was shortlived. Hal Boomhaurer pinned Isaah Ilich in the 106 bout and the match was tied at 6.
Max Hughes (119) beat John Nunez 8-6 to earn 3 team points and give the Dawgs the lead. Conner Koch added to the lead in the 125-pound bout by scoring a 6-4 decision over Alberto Marquez, and the Dawgs had a 12-6 lead in the match. Koch had lost earlier in the year to Marquez and took charge early in the bout to score the upset.
San Marcos tied the match at 12 when Emilio Rivera beat Ray Lemon by fall in the 130-pound bout. Spaso Ilich (135) lost by fall to Simon Olquin and the Knights led for the second time in the match.
The Knights’ Dan Crawford added to their lead by scoring a pin over Ricky Martinez in the 140-pound bout. Jared Widner stopped the Knights’ momentum in the 145-pound bout by beating Jon Betancourt 14-9 in a wild bout.
Brodie Chenowth (152) cut the San Marcos lead to 24-21 by pinning Drasko Bogdonovich in 5:43. Joe Caudros beat Garrett Arnold by fall in the 160 pound bout and it looked bleak for the Dawgs as the Knights led 30-21. Things went from bad to worse in the 171-pound bout when Jared McGehee scored a major decision on Devin Rhodes and the Dawgs trailed 34-21 with three bouts left in the match.
Colton Houlihan came out like a wild man in the 189 bout and pinned Charlie Addison in 2:32 to give the Dawgs momentum and a mathematical shot at a win.
Marshal Thrasher recorded the quickest pin of the match by downing Yakula in 1:01 in the 215 bout. The Dawgs trailed 34-33 going into the final bout, but momentum was on their side
Kaliskis answered the bell, rode the momentum and wrestled the best bout in his career to beat heavyweight Juan DelaTorre 5-0 to win the bout and match.
The junior varsity set the stage for the varsity upset when they beat San Marcos 38-36. Jeff Hughes, Jake Ohnysty, Corey Burrill, Daniel Kemp and DJ Glazewski all recorded pins in the win. Thomas Pacheco recorded a technical fall and Kirk Kaliszewski won a decision in the match.
“We have a big match (today) in the Dawg House against Orange Glen,” said Koch. “We have a young team and they need as much support as they can get. See you in the Dawg House.”