Bulldogs Crown Three Champions at NCWA California State Championships
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — February 16, 2019
The Fresno State Wrestling Club competed at the NCWA California State Championships on February 16, hosted by the University of Southern California. The field included Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Northridge, Sacramento State, and UCLA.
The highlight of the tournament was the debut of the Bulldogs’ newest addition, Matt Gamble, a 2014 CIF State Champion. Gamble made an immediate impact, running through the 133-pound bracket with a dominant performance. His efforts, along with strong showings from teammates Riley Budd and Rossana Aguilar, gave the Bulldogs three individual state champions.
Tournament Recap
133 lbs – Johnny Platas
Platas, a transfer from Fresno City College, opened with a win over Finn Childress (Cal Poly). He would then forfeit to teammate Matt Gamble before dropping a close 6-4 decision to Devin Montarbo (CSU Northridge).
133 lbs – Matt Gamble (Champion)
Gamble, a recent transfer from San Francisco State, dominated in his Bulldog debut. He pinned both Finn Childress (Cal Poly) and Devin Montarbo (CSU Northridge) and accepted a forfeit win over teammate Johnny Platas to claim the 133-pound title.
149 lbs – Llimy Garcia
Garcia defeated Aaron Arredondo (Sacramento State) in his opening bout before falling to Matthew Garcia (Cal Poly).
285 lbs – Riley Budd (Champion)
Budd earned the heavyweight title in a best-of-three series, defeating Dakota Day (Sacramento State) 2–0, with both wins coming by fall.
109 lbs – Mai Xiong
Xiong battled Marina Aguayo (UCLA) in a best-of-three series, falling just short in two competitive matches.
130 lbs – Rossana Aguilar (Champion)
Aguilar picked up two straight pins against Karisma Lucatero (Cal Poly) to secure the 130-pound championship.
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to St. George, Utah, for the NCWA West Coast Conference Championships, where the top five finishers in each weight class will qualify for the NCWA National Championships, set for March 14–16 in Allen, Texas.
