Geckos Jacob Pangelinan tries to get the advantage over Islanders Nicholas Tamashio but Tamashio was able to reestablish control getting the Pin victory over Pangelinan. (photo by Errol Alegre)
The GW Geckos wrestling team bounced back from an opening weekend loss to the FD Friars by defeating the JFK Islanders 42-30 at the Phoenix center Wednesday on Halloween night.
Trailing 30-18 in the point totals, Geckos 160 lb. Herbert Fukuda def. Islanders Nobert Rosario via pin to pull GW 30-24 followed by an Islander forfeit at 170 lb. to tie it at 30. Jaymen Shimizu def. Michael Pangelinan at 182 lb. via pin to secure the match for GW as no more Islanders were able to wrestle.
Islanders Zach Flores, Derek Gatmen, and Nicholas Tamashio all got wins via pin for JFK in the loss.
The GW girls won 24-9 by a series of forfeits. Islanders Tiena Toves def. Geckos Tiffany Inoconol via point total in being the only two to wrestle.
Boys Matches:
126 lb. JFK Zach Flores def. GW Jude Corik via Pin
Islanders Tiena Toves was on the dominant position for majority of the match defeating Geckos Tiffany Inoconol in the only female match of the night. (phot by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
FD 40, Guam High 39
Forfeits are a normality when high school wrestling teams compete but a special Halloween trick or treat Wednesday at the FD Phoenix center offered a thrilling set of matches between the Friars and Guam High Panthers that featured no forfeits with the Friars getting the thin 40-39 win over the Panthers.
“This is amazing, never have I seen anything like this,” stated Friars coach Terry Debold on the no-forfeit match between the Panthers.
It ultimately came down to a large margin point victory by Friars Micah Lopez def. Gabriel Paulino at 170 lb. by a total of 14-0 to get the overall four point edge to give the Friars the definitive lead.
“I kept telling Micah when he was up eight-zero that we need that extra two points to get ahead in the standings,” further stated Debold.
A thrilling pin victory by Friars Leonardo Tudela over Franco Ishmael at 182 lb. gave FD the 40-39 lead capturing a thrilling win of a full set of matches. The Friars begin the season strong at 2-0 while the Panthers lose their first, dropping to 1-1.