Escalon senior Matthew Rangel, who took the mats at 144 pounds for the Cougars, went 1-2 at the State Wrestling Meet in Bakersfield this past weekend.

“In his first match he wrestled a Section champion,” explained Escalon head coach Derek Scott. “He won the next match; he got a takedown and pinned his opponent in the third round.”

But his third match, which turned out to be the final one for Rangel at the State Meet, was a loss, ending his season.

Scott said there were several family members that were able to make the trip and watch Rangel on the State stage.

“At this level, you try to win the matches you’re physically capable of winning and he did that,” Scott said of the grappler. “He enjoyed the experience and he got to show that he belonged in the tournament.”

Scott said he was disappointed for Rangel in the first-round draw, having to face off with a Section champion right away.

“The South and Central Sections have gotten really tough,” Scott noted. “Our Section overall had a tough time at the State Meet.”

But getting there, and getting a win, is something that few wrestlers can say they have done; to Rangel’s credit, he is now among those that have competed at the State level.