Wrestling: Northview's Frank Martinez alive for state title to keep unbeaten season in tact

The Northview senior, ranked No. 1 in the state at 140, Both will
face Trinity's Kevin Maelfeyt in this morning's semifinals with hopes
of advancing to tonight's finals. He is seeking to become the
Vikings' third state champion. Chris Lopez won in 2000 and Shad
Manigault in 2006. Steven Salinas was a runner-up last season.
Three other area competitors are still alive for a top-eight medal.
They are Alhambra's Hugo Perez (103) and Abel Avila (140) and
Arroyo's Noel Blanco (145).
All three must win matches to this morning to qualify for a top-eight
finish.
Consolation matches begin at 9 this morning, with the semifinals
scheduled for 9:30. The finals are slated for 7:15 p.m.

Martinez also clinched a top-eight medal and can finish no lower
sixth. But he's thinking about bigger fish after advancing to the
semifinals with three solid, but steady victories on Friday.
He beat Brady Bersano of Clovis 7-3, Nate Vincent of Dublin 12-6 and
Mitchell Maya of Brawley 11-8.
"I'm halfway there, just two matches to go (for a state title),"
Martinez said. "I'm kind of sick right now, just trying to overcome
that. I just went out there and tried to get the 'W.'
"I didn't want to do anything fancy. To me, a win's a win."
Martinez, who won a Northern Division and Masters titles each of the
past two weeks, controlled his quarterfinal bout during the first two
periods, taking an 11-5 lead. but Maya countered with an escape and
takedown with less than a minute left in the third to make it close
at 11-8. Martinez then fought off two moves in the final 20 seconds
to win.
"My strategy was to just get up on points," Martinez said. "I just
wanted to take the lead, then try to keep him away."
Perez and Avila battled through the consolation brackets to advance
to today. Perez rallied after a loss in the third round with two wins
by fall in the consolation bracket, including pinning Josh Rodriguez
of Righetti in 4:05 to advance to this morning's consolation fifth
round.
Avila took the same road, losing in the third round than countering
with back-to-back wins in the consolation bracket, including winning
by fall over Glendora's Haydn Scharbrough in the consolation third
round.
Blanco also lost in the third round, but advanced to today with wins
of 16-6 over Summerville's Carson Gracia and 16-8 over Corona
Centennial's Cody Smith in the consolation fourth round.
Northview's Nick Jacobo (103), Elvis Arce (152) and Chris Auxier
(heavyweight); South Hills' Daniel Flores (112) and Vincent Herrera
(125), Rosemead's Matt Fregoso (119), Glendora's Haydn Scharbrough
(140) and Jake Hoxsey (160), Bassett's Chris Travison (119), West
Covina's Raymond Medina (171) and Diamond Bar's Brian Ryu competed
but lost in consolation and did not advance.