HOLLISTER — St. Francis High senior wrestler Johnny Croghan took second place in his weight division at the Pacific Coast Athletic League Championships at Hollister High on Saturday.
Croghan (27-6 overall), seeded No. 3, lost to No. 1 seed Jacob Perez of Everett Alvarez by a 19-2 technical fall in the final featuring 157 pounders. Croghan advanced to the final by recording three straight pins, the fastest coming in 41 seconds.
Nine Santa Cruz County wrestlers finished with top-six finishes, which qualified them for the Central Coast Section Southern Regional at Watsonville High on Saturday.
Watsonville’s Angel Barragan Marquez (165 pounds) and Monte Vista Christian’s Josh Tepoorten (175) took third. And the Mustangs’ Jacob Wong (215) took fourth.
MVC’s Tommy Beck (190) beat Pajaro Valley’s Eduardo Mendoza (190) for fifth place. Pajaro Valley’s Eriberto Estrada (215) also took fifth.
MVC’s Mason Vasquez (113) and Michael Vandierendonck (285) took sixth to round out the CCS Regional qualifiers.
Watsonville’s Daniel Gonzalez (113), Javier Mendoza (175) and Brody Barto (215), and MVC’s Zach Binder (138), Isaiah Ortega (144) and Ethan Komrosky (150) took eighth.
Hollister (251.0 points) won the team title. Palma (200.5) took second, and Monterey (175.0) was third. MVC (91.5) took sixth, Watsonville (28.0) took 17th, Pajaro Valley (26.5) was 18th, and St. Francis (24.0), which had just two wrestlers competing, took 20th.
Girls
Two Santa Cruz County grapplers placed and advanced from the PCAL Championships at Hollister High on Saturday.
The top seven wrestlers in each of the 14 weight divisions qualified for the CCS Southern Regional at Watsonville High on Saturday.
MVC’s Megan Merson (130 pounds) took fourth and Watsonville’s Martha Zurita (130) took fifth.
Monterey (254.0 points) took first, Alisal (189.0) took second, and Hollister (187.5) was third. MVC (13.5) took 14th, Watsonville (12.0) was 15th, and Pajaro Valley and St. Francis tied for 18th.
IF YOU GO
CCS Southern Regionals
When: Saturday, all day
Where: Watsonville High