With the rest of the North Sequoia League taking the year off, the Liberty Hawks kept its wrestling season going, filling in for San Joaquin Memorial-Fresno in the County/Metro Athletic Conference and competing against some of the best teams.
A day after a team win over the Madera South Stallions, the Hawks defeated the Madera Coyotes 51-22 Friday afternoon.
Of the nine contested matches, the Hawks won six of them, including five by pin. The Hawks also received four forfeit wins while Madera received two.
At 120 pounds, Liberty’s Eli McIntosh recorded a pin with just 6.3 seconds left in the second period.
Madera’s Nathan Galicia recorded a major victory at 125 pounds. He scored two points in the first period, three in the second and four more in the third for a 9-1 win.
Two-time CIF State Championship wrestler Ryan Avila of Liberty pinned his 145-pound opponent with 44.7 seconds left in the second period.
At 152 pounds, Liberty’s Zach Santoro was cruising with a 6-0 lead before recording a second period pin with 35 seconds left.
Madera’s Julio Garcia didn’t let his 160-pound match get out of the first period with a pin with 46.7 seconds left in the first.
Liberty’s Diego Salas and Madera’s Rota Paz battled to a scoreless tie through the first two periods at 182 pounds. Salas picked bottom in the third period and escaped the hold and added a takedown for a 3-0 match win.
Liberty’s 220-pounder, Diego Rojas, led 5-0 at the end of the first period. He added a takedown before getting a pin 59 seconds into the second period.
Liberty heavyweight Sam Rauschenberg made quick work of his Madera opponent, pinning him 44 seconds into the match in the final match of the meet.
Madera closed out its home schedule Tuesday against Madera South while Liberty wrestled Yosemite on Tuesday and will head to Sanger on Thursday.