Gonzalez Makes Unexpected Return, Wins 165 Title at Super Sunday Invitational
VAN NUYS, Calif — February 5, 2017
The 2017 Super Sunday Invitational, hosted by UC Merced on February 5 at Birmingham Community High School in Van Nuys, CA, threw teams a curveball. What was originally scheduled as a dual-style event was converted into an individual tournament shortly after weigh-ins, forcing many teams, including Fresno State, to reshuffle expectations.
The Bulldogs had come prepared to fill a dual meet lineup, with some wrestlers bumping up as many as two weight classes to help the team score. Once the format changed, the depth-tested roster had to adjust quickly—and quietly, one of the day’s bright spots came from a familiar face.
Jovany Gonzalez, who had stepped away from competition earlier in the season, weighed in at 165 lbs as a potential placeholder for the dual format. When the format flipped, he decided to stay in and wrestle.
“I hadn’t trained in a couple of months and hadn’t kept my weight down. I was just enjoying being a regular college student,” Gonzalez said. “But I had already made the trip and weighed in. At that point, I figured why not just compete and see what happens.”
What happened was a steady, effective return to form. Gonzalez won all three of his matches—two by fall and the third by technical fall—to take home the 165-pound championship. It wasn’t a high-stakes return or a planned postseason campaign, but rather a veteran athlete enjoying one last outing on the mat.
“He did great out there,” said teammate Jesus Izazaga (235 lbs). “It was awesome to see him compete again.”
When asked about what’s next, Gonzalez made it clear this isn’t a comeback story. “My focus is on the team. I’m not going to take a postseason spot from anyone who’s been here day in and day out. But I’ll be back on the mat next week with the team to help chase another state title.”
Other Fresno State wrestlers who competed:
141 lbs – Llimy Garcia
157 lbs – Marcus Marquez
165 lbs – Jovany Gonzalez
184 lbs – Luis Jauregui
184 lbs – Dwayne Heller
197 lbs – Armando Manzo
235 lbs – Jesus Izazaga
Women’s Division:
109 lbs – Mai Xiong
130 lbs – Yuritzi Boyzo
Next Up
Fresno State returns home on February 11 to host the 2017 NCWA California State Championships in the South Gym. The Bulldogs look to secure their third straight team title heading into the postseason.
