Glads Stand Tall On Mat

Things keep getting better for the Chabot wrestling team under head coach Michael Grijalba.

On Nov. 13, the Gladiators — ranked 11th in the state and tied for first in the Big 8 Conference with No. 2-ranked Fresno City — dropped a tough dual against the Rams, 41-12. The Gladiators (7-3) thus finished in the top two in conference for the first time since 2014.

Standout performances came from Chabot's Dominic DeBo and Jake Blake, who earned decisions, and Zeus Esparza, who secured a fall.

On Nov. 8, the Gladiators competed strongly in the Fresno City Tournament. Jake Blake, ranked 9th in the state at 184 pounds, dominated the competition. He upset the No. 5-ranked wrestler in the quarterfinals, endured a loss to a teammate in the semifinals, and battled tightly against another top-five opponent in the 3rd place match. Blake finished in fourth place, finishing ahead of three wrestlers ranked above him.

Rafael Roman-Amador, ranked No. 2 in the state at 184, won the tournament title with one decision and four wins by fall, including first-period pins in the semifinals and finals. Elijah Sudaria placed seventh at 165 with three wins by technical fall

On Nov. 5, Chabot defeated Modesto Junior College, 29-18, the program's first win over Modesto since 2014. Standout performances included major decision victories from Jordan Deliz, Gabriel Reynoso, and Daniel Sanchez. Rafael Roman-Amador earned a technical fall, while Elijah Sudaria and Dominic DeBo secured wins by fall.

The Gladiators will host College of the Redwoods in a dual on Thursday, Nov. 20, Sophomore Night. Then, on Nov. 21, Chabot will host its annual tournament all day in the main gym.