Escalon’s JV wrestlers claimed the Trans-Valley League championship with a 58-18 win at Mountain House on Wednesday, Jan. 25.

“The best matches there were Adela Ley-Han, who won by fall over a boy at 113 pounds and Julia Casillas (126 pounds) won by fall in a match where she was trailing in the first two rounds,” said head coach Derek Scott.

Also earning high praise were Donnie Smith, who took a win by fall at 145 pounds and Dylan Dugo, taking an 8-6 win at heavyweight, battling back after being behind in the match.

“The varsity won 77-6, they bounced back after last week’s loss (at Hilmar) and looked real good,” Scott added.

At 106 pounds, Mikayla Vega had one of the most satisfying victories of the night.

“Mikayla beat a girl that had won the Enochs Tournament the week before, pinned her in the first round,” said Scott. “Garrett Nash won by fall and he looked good, the best he has looked this season, wrestling at 113 pounds.”

Just breaking into the varsity line-up and making a bid to stay was Marco Silva at 126 pounds, winning by fall and rounding out the top three varsity matches on the night.

Over the weekend, several JV wrestlers and the Escalon girls headed to the Elk Grove Tournament.

Fourth place honors went to grappler Miguel Granillo at 220 pounds, with four Cougars coming home with third place honors. They were Braiden Vega, 106; Marco Silva, 126; Ethan Krieger, 145; and Roman Gonzales, 152.

“Gino Stern took second place at 106 pounds and we also had four champions,” Scott explained.

Those champions included Garrett Nash, 3-0, 113 pounds; Izaac Sipma, 3-0, 152; Julian Gutierrez, 3-0, 160; and Jose Vargas at 195 pounds, going 4-0.

For the girls, going 5-1 and defeating two opponents that she trailed, Julia Casillas took third at 121 pounds; Adela Ley-Han went 4-1 to take second at 111 pounds and Mikayla Vega was a champion, going 5-0 at 106 pounds.

“She won in the finals, 6-0,” Scott said of Vega’s dominant performance. “We had a great week of practice, and that’s a hard tournament, it’s a JV tournament with some big schools, some of those matches were as hard as varsity competition.”

This week, the Cougars were slated to close out the dual meet season with a trip to Modesto Christian on Tuesday, Jan. 31 after The Times went to press.

The girls will start their playoffs this week, heading to Enochs, where the top eight from each weight class will qualify to move on.