Plenty of Cougars are continuing their wrestling seasons, with four girls and four boys headed to the Masters this weekend.

The girls were at their divisionals this past weekend at Central Valley High School in Ceres and, from there, the top eight in each weight class move on to Masters. That competition will be hosted Friday and Saturday at Lincoln High School in Stockton.

At 150 pounds, Kaitlyn Ruiz went 3-2 to finish in seventh place. At 108 pounds, Kaylee Freeseha came back from losing her first match by disqualification to winning six straight, taking third place.

“We had two champions,” head coach Derek Scott added.

Both Mikayla Vega, 5-0, 113 pounds and Julia Casillas, 5-0, 121 pounds, took first place honors.

All four Lady Cougars will head to the Masters.

“For the boys, on the first day we had 11 guys wrestle and everyone won at least two matches to get to the second day,” Scott said of the divisionals in Calaveras. “The second day, every bad break that could happen did.”

Escalon did come out with seven medalists, but only the top four placers move on in each weight division, with four Cougars qualified for Masters.

Those wrestlers who did not place included Izaac Sipma, 2-2 at 152 pounds; Ethan Krieger, 3-2 at 170 and Sean Vassallo, 2-2, at heavyweight.

“Earning medals but not moving on were Julian Gutierrez, he went 5-2 at 182 pounds for fifth place,” Scott said. “Donnie Smith was 5-2 at 195 to take fifth and Zac Freeseha also went 5-2 at 220 pounds for fifth place.”

Scott said each of those wrestlers performed well, winning some tough matches.

“We are sending four to Masters,” Scott added. “As a team we placed third, this was the Division V Sections, I felt good about taking third.”

Cougars continuing on to the Masters Meet – scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15 and 16 at Delta College in Stockton – include Aidan Krieger, going 5-1 at 126 pounds for third place and Garrett Nash, going 5-1 at 145 pounds for second place, losing in the finals by a 4-3 decision.

“We had two champions, going 6-0 at 132 pounds and taking his third section title was Alex Jimenez and, getting his first section title, going 6-0 at 160 pounds, was Brad Hagglund,” Scott said.

The top six placers in each weight class at Masters will move on to the State Meet.