Carrillo, Gurovich each finish seventh at state wrestling championships

Two local wrestlers earned seventh-place finishes to secure a place on the podium at the CIF-State Wrestling Championships at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield, which started Thursday and finished Saturday.

Royal High junior Mason Carrillo and Camarillo High senior Daniel Gurovich each placed seventh in their weight classes with strong performances over the three-day meet.

Carrillo won his first three matches to advance to the quarterfinals in the 113-pound division and then won two of three matches in the consolation bracket. He defeated Caleb Rivas of Golden West by decision, 5-0, in the seventh-place match. Carrillo, who advanced to the state meet for the second straight season, finished second at the CIF-Southern Section Masters meet to qualify for state. He won a CIF-SS Eastern Division individual championship after earning a Coastal Canyon League title.

Gurovich won his first two matches to reach the round of 16 in the 195-pound weight class. He finished 3-1 in the consolation bracket, pinning David Calkins in 51 seconds in the seventh-place match. Gurovich, who won a CIF-SS Eastern Division individual title and a Coastal Canyon League championship, reached the state meet by finishing third at the CIF-SS Masters.

Four other boys wrestlers competed in the state tournament.

Camarillo freshman Joshua Requena, who won a CIF-SS Eastern Division individual title and a Coastal Canyon League crown, went 3-2 overall in the 126-pound division. Requena qualified for state with a third-place finish at the CIF-SS Masters.

Camarillo senior Emilio Medina went 3-2 in the 132-pound division to cap his stellar career. Medina, who finished second at the CIF-SS Eastern Division finals after winning a Coastal Canyon League title, reached the state meet by placing third at the CIF-SS Masters.

Rio Mesa senior Anthony Garcia, who won a CIF-SS Coastal Division title and a Channel League crown, went 1-3 in the 285-pound division to finish a remarkable career for the Spartans. Garcia qualified for state by taking second at the CIF-SS Masters.

Moorpark's Logan Andrews, who finished second at the CIF-SS Eastern Division finals after winning a Coastal Canyon League title, went 0-2 in the 120-pound division. Andrews advanced to the state mate by taking fifth at the CIF-SS Masters.

In the girls meet, Royal senior Ireland Donnelly was the only one of six area wrestlers to reach the third day of the meet. Donnelly, who won a CIF-SS Northern Division individual title after earning a Coastal Coastal League championship, finished 3-2 overall in the 111-pound division to complete a sensational career for the Highlanders. She qualified for state by placing third at the CIF-SS Masters.

Hueneme's Audrey Diaz capped her high school career by going 1-2 in the 137-pound class. Diaz reached the state tournament for the second straight season after winning a CIF-SS Masters title. She won a CIF-SS Southern Division individual title and was a Citrus Coast League champion.

Ventura junior Bela Smith finished 1-2 in the 143-pound class. Smith, who won a CIF-SS Central Division individual title and Channel League crown, helped Ventura win the CIF-SS Division 2 team title for the program's first sectional championship. She reached the state meet by placing second at the CIF-SS Masters.

Camarillo sophomore Trinity Tipton ended her strong season by going 1-2 in the 170-pound division. Tipton, who also stars in track and field for the Scorpions, won a Coastal Canyon League title and took fourth in the CIF-SS Northern Division finals. She qualified to the state meet by placing fourth at the CIF-SS Masters.

Camarillo senior Makensey Schlimgen finished 1-2 in the 189-pound class. Schlimgen won a Coastal Canyon League title and finished third in the CIF-SS Northern Division finals. She took fourth at the CIF-SS Masters to advance to the state meet.

Cherish Hall-Taoai of Thousand Oaks went 1-2 in the 235-pound division. Hall-Taoai won a Marmonte League title, finished eighth in the CIF-SS Central Division finals, and took third at the CIF-SS Masters in her first season wrestling.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Carrillo, Gurovich each finish 7th at state wrestling championships