Dos Pueblos boys wrestling secured a fourth-place finish with 140 team points at the 23-team Santa Ynez Battle of the Valley Tournament on Friday and Saturday.
The Chargers finished behind only Millikan (274), Pacifica (247.5) and Righetti (163) in the two-day tournament.
“We had solid performances from all our varsity wrestlers this weekend,” Dos Pueblos coach Matthew Bernard said. “Our veterans really brought it, securing a first, a third and two fourths while some of our newcomers placed themselves on the podium with two sevenths and an eighth-place finish.”
Brandon Velasquez led the way for the Chargers, going 4-0 and taking home first place in the 157-pound division. In the title matchup, Velasquez won by a 13-6 decision over Millikan’s Chris Anguiano.
“Brandon gave a brilliant performance in the finals against the first seed and returning state qualifier Chris Anguiano,” Bernard said. “He won the scrambles, kept good position throughout each situation, and used his match awareness to really keep the advantage the entire bout.
“He has some impressive athleticism; it is really fun to watch him showcase it on the mat.”
Seamus Fergus also had a strong weekend to the tune of a 5-1 record, good for third place at 150 pounds. Meanwhile, Andrew Gilligan (126 lbs.) and Ethan Ono (215) contributed to the team score with fourth-place finishes in their respective divisions.
“Seamus wrestled a hard-nosed tournament and grinded it out, earning him that third-place finish. He lost a close one in the quarters, made some adjustments, and came back stronger,” Bernard said.
“Andrew and Ethan continue making improvements. Their dedication and focus on self-improvement is what landed them on the podium and why they’ll continue striving to learn and grow.”
The duo of Brody Hansen and Isaiah Fox-Kovach ended the weekend in seventh place in the 175 and 190-pound divisions, respectively. Julien Joulie-Mares rounded out the Chargers’ placers in eighth at 106 pounds.
Dos Pueblos will celebrate its Wrestling Alumni Night and host Santa Barbara High for a dual meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m.