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Mustang grapplers second at divisionals, prep for Masters
Simmons 2-19
Wrestling at 122 pounds, Mustang Jake Simmons took second place honors at the weekend divisionals hosted at Placer High School. He is one of a dozen Oakdale grapplers continuing on to Masters, being hosted Feb. 21 and 22 at Stockton Arena. Jeff Kettering/The Leader

The 2025 Sac-Joaquin Section Division III Divisional Championship took place this past weekend in Placer. Oakdale High School took second place as a team. First place went to Vacaville with 393.0 points, followed by Oakdale, 342.0. Rounding out the top five were Central Catholic (246.0), Sierra (169.5) and Will C. Wood (147.5). In the tournament Oakdale was well represented as 12 wrestlers placed in the top eight in their respective weight classes, qualifying to move on to the Feb. 21 and 22 Masters Meet in Stockton. Out of those 12, four came home as champions. Earning top honors were Jesse Meza at 134 pounds, Gideon Gerber, 167; Wes Burford, 217; and Matthew Cooley, 287 pounds.

Meza got his day started as he defeated Ty Meja 4-0, then pinned Gari Herrea of Tokay, earned a fall over Daniel Maranan to advance to the finals. In the finals he defeated Kekoa Ogawa of Central Catholic 7-3.

Gerber pinned his first opponent and then defeated Jose J. Nava-Rejon via fall. He also defeated Central Catholic’s Damian Ely-Leal via fall. He then defeated Raymond Martin of Sierra via fall for the first-place honors.

Burford advanced via forfeit in the first round. He then defeated Thomas Thorton 12-9. He took out Mario Lopez via fall to reach the finals. In the finals he defeated Noah Hargrave via fall.

Cooley won his first match via technical fall over Jordan Jackson. In the second round he got past Nick Butayve via fall. In the semifinals he knocked off Brandon Olacio via fall. In the finals he defeated Vacaville’s Ezra Cremo via fall, completing a dominant run to the top of the podium.

Other Mustang wrestlers who placed were Izaias Espino (108, fifth); Jake Simmons (122, second); Taylen Beck (128, eighth); Avery Jones (140, second); Israel Mercado (152, third); Cody Soares (159, third); Aden Prather (177, eighth) and Xander Birakos (192, second).

This weekend, those 12 Oakdale grapplers will compete at the Stockton Arena for the 2025 Sac-Joaquin Section Masters. This is the final stop before the 2025 CIF State Championship.

2-19 Gerber
Shown in action earlier this season, Oakdale’s Gideon Gerber battled his way to a first-place finish at 167 pounds in the divisionals this past weekend, punching his ticket to the Masters Meet. Jeff Kettering/The Leader