Still no state champions in wrestling from San Bernardino County since Rim’s Ricky Turk in 2002, but the county produced five state placers on Saturday in Bakersfield: Sultana’s Matt Welch (fourth, 112), Barstow’s Sean Silva (fourth, 119, 2nd time placing in state), REV’s Chris Mecate (fifth, 125), Oak Hills’ Robert Marchese (eighth, 160, school’s first-ever state placer) and Sultana’s Manuel Mazariegos (7th, heavyweight).
It’s the first time Sultana’s had 2 state placers in the same meet. Not a bad showing. And Welch was impressive a year after he was ineligible due to grades.
I do think, however, Rialto’s Giordan Porter got a raw deal in his last match. He should’ve been awarded a takedown with 12 seconds left, when the referee ruled him out of bounds and he ended up losing by one point.
Sometimes you need to avoid back luck and you need to get a good draw to place. Porter and Colony’s Cody Dixon, 2 CIF-SS Masters champions, were both victims of that.

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