Klein Oak’s annual Gator Roll Invitational Tournament was held this last Saturday. As a one-day tournament, the number of teams was only eighteen, although it could have easily handled more, as some top seeds only had three matches. There was a good mix of 6A, 5A and one private school. There were also many ranked wrestlers on the mats winning hardware.
106 lbs.
Top seed Andy Vila of Katy Paetow (34-6) is ranked number 12 took on #20 ranked Jeffrey Kowalski (29-13) in the finals. A one-day tournament is no problem for him making weight. Next week’s 2-day tournament at Klein Collins will be a big test.
Vila went unscored upon in this tournament, winning his first two matches by first period pins, and in the final match he scored an 18-0 tech fall in the second period against Kowalski. Two takedowns and three 4-point near-falls was “all” it took to secure the title.
113 lbs.
Top seed, Damian Carrera of Cy Woods cruised through his first two matches with a win by fall and one by a tech fall, and then he met the ninth seed Kevin Marquez of Cy Springs. Marquez began the tournament with an 8-14 record, and he reeled off three dominating wins, including a pin of the 3rd seed Clayton Hicks of Bryan, and a tech fall over 2nd seed, Rene Machuca of Waller.
When Marquez came into the final match with Carrera, the odds were stacked against him performing the trifecta of defeats against the three top seeds. But you know what, as they say in the NFL, “on any given day”. And this was Marquez’ day. He scored the one and only takedown of the match, and proceeded to pin Carrera 0:20 into the second period. Wow! Congratulations young man.
120 lbs.
The top two seeds in this bracket both advanced to the title match. First seed Jiovani Hernandez (36-6) and second seed Diego Guerrero (37-9) of Cy Woods are also both ranked in the top 20 of the weight class. Hernandez currently holds the #7 rank, while Guerrero is at #15.
In November, Hernandez defeated Guerrero 3-1 during a dual match. This match was quite different. Hernandez built a 7-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and NF-4 before cutting the match short with a pin at 1:49.
126 lbs.
Eddier Baez (29-8), the Klein Oak freshman, who is currently ranked #15 took on the fourth seed, Ivan Riemer (21-12) of Waller.
Baez only gave up one point to Reimer, a third period escape, as he led 4-0 after two periods, and tacked on a hefty eleven points in the third period, with two takedowns, a NF-4 and an escape for a 15-1 major decision for the gold medal.
I believe this is Baez’ first tournament title of his high school career, with many more to come.
132 lbs.
This bracket had three ranked wrestlers; #8 Chance Berry of Cy Fair, #10 Brody Banks of Houston Bellaire, and #11 Cody Welch of Bryan. Berry moved to the finals with a fall and a tech fall. Banks and Welch met in the semis, with Welch claiming a 10-4 decision to face Berry.
The only loss this year for Berry is to Andrew Huerta, who has kind of fallen off the map since the Cy Ridge Classic in November. Berry does have a huge feather in his cap for coming from the fourth seed and winning the CFISD tournament. Welch was actually seeded first at the CFISD, but didn’t make it to the semis.
In this match, Berry had total control of everything; he had two takedowns in each of the three periods, while only allowing three escapes. That equals an 18-3 Tech Fall, at 4:35. Total domination.
138 lbs.
Amori Smith (33-3), the #17 ranked wrestler in 138 lbs. from Waller was the top seed. Jackson Rosenberry (21-10) from Cy Fair, made it to the finals from the third seed, defeating the second seed, Luis Velasquez of Katy Paetow.
This was another very one-sided match, with Smith being in control until his lead reached 15 points. 5-0 at the end of the first period, 11-1 after the second, and 21-3 when the Tech Fall was called in the third period at 5:31.
144 lbs.
Vincent Allen (30-4) of Conroe Grand Oaks, who holds the # 6 rank used his top seed to get to the finals with two pins. His opponent was the third seed, Jeremiah Rice. Now this is strange, Rice is listed as unattached. I’ve not seen this in a high school match before. I know he’s from Waller. Maybe the second seed, Antonio Gonzalez, who is also from Waller, won a wrestle-off for the spot to represent the team. Either way, Rice made it to the finals, not Gonzalez.
This title match was another mismatched bout. Allen won a 15-0 tech fall in 5:22, scoring a takedown and two NF-3s in the first period, and in the second period, the match was ended after a reversal and a NF-4.
We’ll see if he can add to this title this weekend at the Tiger Classic, with Rosenberg Terry and Enrique Olivarers competing. Olivarers has beaten Allen twice this season; 19-3 and 6-2.
150 lbs.
Michael Buscemi (23-5), the top seed from Katy Paetow was matched with 14th seed, Jason Hernandez (22-10) of Cy Springs. With neither of them ranked, they treated the crowd with a close final match.
Hernandez started the scoring with a takedown at the very end of the first period. Buscemi chose bottom for the second period, and could only muster an escape through the entire period. Hernandez was up 2-1 starting the third period, and on the bottom.
Hernandez escaped to bring his lead to 6-1. The two wrestlers went more than a minute on their feet before Buscemi scored a takedown with a half minute left, closing the score to 4-4. At the last seconds ticked, Hernandez sealed the victory with a reversal, and a 6-4, decision.
157 lbs.
In another bout with the top two seeds, #6 ranked Jayden Cardona (31-5) of the host team, Klein Oak butted heads with William McGehee (14-9) of Cy Fair.
Cardona had some takedown practice in this match as he scored four takedowns, and allowed three escapes, before putting McGehee away at 1:23.
Cardona will lace them up again for the Tiger Classic and possibly meet #13 Freddie Hector of Conroe, with whom he has split decisions with this season. Or maybe even #8, Douglas Reyes of Cy Lakes.
165 lbs.
The first of the Remington brothers from League City Clear Creek was up, as top seed, Keith (27-0) stepped in to face off with Harvey Mills (22-11) of Cy Springs. Remington holds the #3 rank at 165 lbs.
Remington scored a takedown, allowed an escape, and had another takedown thirty seconds later, which led to a first period pin, recorded at 1:49. A great win for a wrestler that has really improved over the last two years.
175 lbs.
Jared Remington pretty much owns 175 lbs. in the Houston area, if not the state. In this tournament, he met #15 Luke Podowski of The Woodlands High School. Remington had two takedowns in the first period, and two more in the second before applying the pin at 2:58.
Podowski is definitely no slouch, but Remington makes it seem effortless.
190 lbs.
Salvatore Vasi of Klein Oak, made his way out of the 6th seed to the finals to meet Caelan Fletcher of Bryan. Vasi beat both the third and second seed to reach the finals. In the final match he gave Fletcher a fight, but it wasn’t enough as a 16-3 major decision was won by Fletcher, his second tournament title of the season.
215 lbs.
John Turner (19-0) of Klein Forest kept his undefeated season going with three pins on his way to the gold medal. Turner’s win in the finals was against Elvis Alagic (23-14) of Cy Springs, which was recorded at 2:31.
285 lbs.
Top seed, Klenam Attipoe (27-8) of Katy Paetow, was defeated in the semifinals, 4-1, by Alan Vasquez (14-9), another “unattached” wrestler from Waller. Ke’shawn Jones (11-1), the #2 ranked wrestler in the state, came out of the third seed to tangle with Vasquez in the gold match.
After two periods of doing what heavyweights do, Jones started on the bottom. Jones worked an escape, and then with less than 0:20 left, he scored a takedown and NF-4 to win a 9-1 decision victory.
The tournament had some good wrestling, big names, some top wrestlers in the state, and lots of tuning up leading to the post season.
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
106
1st Place – Andy Vila of Katy Paetow
2nd Place – Jeffrey Kowalski of Cypress Woods
3rd Place – Christian Alvarez of Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated
4th Place – Jesse Gullien of Bryan
1st Place Match
Andy Vila (Katy Paetow) 34-6, Sr. over Jeffrey Kowalski (Cypress Woods) 29-13, Jr. (TF-1.5 3:34 (18-0))
3rd Place Match
Christian Alvarez (Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated) 14-2, Sr. over Jesse Gullien (Bryan) 17-9, Fr. (Dec 9-3)
113
1st Place – Kevin Marquez of Cypress Springs
2nd Place – Damian Carrera of Cypress Woods
3rd Place – Clayton Hicks of Bryan
4th Place – Rene Machuca of Waller
1st Place Match
Kevin Marquez (Cypress Springs) 12-14, Sr. over Damian Carrera (Cypress Woods) 24-8, Jr. (Fall 2:20)
3rd Place Match
Clayton Hicks (Bryan) 20-11, So. over Rene Machuca (Waller) 13-6, So. (Fall 2:52)
120
1st Place – Jiovani Hernandez of Katy Paetow
2nd Place – Diego Guerrero of Cypress Woods
3rd Place – Michael Hulsey of Conroe Grand Oaks
4th Place – Hudson Taylor of Klein Oak
1st Place Match
Jiovani Hernandez (Katy Paetow) 36-6, Sr. over Diego Guerrero (Cypress Woods) 37-9, Jr. (Fall 1:49)
3rd Place Match
Michael Hulsey (Conroe Grand Oaks) 18-9, So. over Hudson Taylor (Klein Oak) 16-10, Jr. (Dec 7-3)
126
1st Place – Eddier Baez of Klein Oak
2nd Place – Ivan Riemer of Waller
3rd Place – Jackson Rush of Friendswood Hs
4th Place – Adam Gaw of Katy Paetow
1st Place Match
Eddier Baez (Klein Oak) 29-8, Fr. over Ivan Riemer (Waller) 21-12, Jr. (MD 15-1)
3rd Place Match
Jackson Rush (Friendswood Hs) 17-5, So. over Adam Gaw (Katy Paetow) 12-8, Jr. (Fall 3:49)
132
1st Place – Chance Berry of Cy-Fair
2nd Place – Cody Welch of Bryan
3rd Place – BRODY BANKS of Houston Bellaire
4th Place – Fidencio Ramos of Conroe Grand Oaks
1st Place Match
Chance Berry (Cy-Fair) 26-1, So. over Cody Welch (Bryan) 24-5, Sr. (Dec 3-0)
3rd Place Match
BRODY BANKS (Houston Bellaire) 21-3, Jr. over Fidencio Ramos (Conroe Grand Oaks) 13-5, Sr. (MD 12-1)
138
1st Place – Amori Smith of Waller
2nd Place – Jackson Rosenberry of Cy-Fair
3rd Place – David To of Cypress Springs
4th Place – Nolan English of Cypress Woods
1st Place Match
Amori Smith (Waller) 33-3, Jr. over Jackson Rosenberry (Cy-Fair) 21-10, So. (TF-1.5 5:31 (21-3))
3rd Place Match
David To (Cypress Springs) 24-11, Sr. over Nolan English (Cypress Woods) 14-10, Jr. (Dec 13-10)
144
1st Place – Vincent Allen of Conroe Grand Oaks
2nd Place – Jeremiah Rice of Waller
3rd Place – Aiden Stephenson of Friendswood Hs
4th Place – Antonio Murillo of Klein Oak
1st Place Match
Vincent Allen (Conroe Grand Oaks) 30-4, Jr. over Jeremiah Rice (Waller) 21-7, Jr. (TF-1.5 2:22 (15-0))
3rd Place Match
Aiden Stephenson (Friendswood Hs) 20-9, Jr. over Antonio Murillo (Klein Oak) 18-13, Sr. (Dec 8-2)
150
1st Place – Jason Hernandez Alvarado of Cypress Springs
2nd Place – Michael Buscemi of Katy Paetow
3rd Place – Lincoln Gessner of Klein Oak
4th Place – Daniel Orekoyo of Richmond Foster
1st Place Match
Jason Hernandez Alvarado (Cypress Springs) 22-10, Jr. over Michael Buscemi (Katy Paetow) 23-5, Sr. (Dec 6-4)
3rd Place Match
Lincoln Gessner (Klein Oak) 21-9, So. over Daniel Orekoyo (Richmond Foster) 7-8, Sr. (Fall 1:40)
157
1st Place – Jayden Cardona of Klein Oak
2nd Place – William McGehee of Cy-Fair
3rd Place – Blaize Howard of Conroe Grand Oaks
4th Place – Jordan Dejesus of Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated
1st Place Match
Jayden Cardona (Klein Oak) 31-5, Jr. over William McGehee (Cy-Fair) 14-9, . (Fall 1:23)
3rd Place Match
Blaize Howard (Conroe Grand Oaks) 4-1, Jr. over Jordan Dejesus (Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated) 2-2, Sr. (Dec 5-3)
165
1st Place – Keith Remington of League City Clear Creek
2nd Place – Harvey Mills of Cypress Springs
3rd Place – Carlos Temores of Klein Oak
4th Place – Kiev Anton of Conroe Grand Oaks
1st Place Match
Keith Remington (League City Clear Creek) 27-0, Jr. over Harvey Mills (Cypress Springs) 22-11, So. (Fall 1:49)
3rd Place Match
Carlos Temores (Klein Oak) 14-6, Sr. over Kiev Anton (Conroe Grand Oaks) 11-13, Sr. (Fall 2:17)
175
1st Place – Jared Remington of League City Clear Creek
2nd Place – Luke Podowski of Conroe The Woodlands
3rd Place – Khyrell Banegura of Conroe Grand Oaks
4th Place – Levi Feith of Cypress Springs
1st Place Match
Jared Remington (League City Clear Creek) 28-0, Sr. over Luke Podowski (Conroe The Woodlands) 19-6, Sr. (Fall 2:58)
3rd Place Match
Khyrell Banegura (Conroe Grand Oaks) 27-13, Sr. over Levi Feith (Cypress Springs) 20-14, Jr. (Fall 2:54)
190
1st Place – Caelan Fletcher of Bryan
2nd Place – Salvatore Vasi of Klein Oak
3rd Place – Kaiden Richardson of League City Clear Creek
4th Place – Humberto Hernandez of Katy Paetow
1st Place Match
Caelan Fletcher (Bryan) 30-9, Sr. over Salvatore Vasi (Klein Oak) 17-11, Sr. (MD 16-3)
3rd Place Match
Kaiden Richardson (League City Clear Creek) 21-7, Sr. over Humberto Hernandez (Katy Paetow) 23-16, Sr. (Fall 2:22)
215
1st Place – John Turner of Klein Forest
2nd Place – Elvis Alagic of Cypress Springs
3rd Place – Ethan Vera of Conroe Grand Oaks
4th Place – Isaiah Longoria of Klein Collins
1st Place Match
John Turner (Klein Forest) 19-0, Jr. over Elvis Alagic (Cypress Springs) 23-14, Sr. (Fall 2:31)
3rd Place Match
Ethan Vera (Conroe Grand Oaks) 8-9, Jr. over Isaiah Longoria (Klein Collins) 12-7, Sr. (Fall 4:07)
285
1st Place – Ke`shawn Jones of League City Clear Creek
2nd Place – Alan Vasquez of Waller
3rd Place – Klenam Attipoe of Katy Paetow
4th Place – Isaiah Taboada of Waller
1st Place Match
Ke`shawn Jones (League City Clear Creek) 11-1, Sr. over Alan Vasquez (Waller) 14-9, Sr. (MD 9-1)
3rd Place Match
Klenam Attipoe (Katy Paetow) 27-8, Jr. over Isaiah Taboada (Waller) 4-2, Sr. (Fall 2:50)
TEAM RESULTS
1 Katy Paetow 140.0
2 Klein Oak 138.0
3 Cypress Springs 124.0
4 Conroe Grand Oaks 121.0
5 League City Clear Creek 107.0
6 Bryan 96.0
7 Waller 89.0
8 Cypress Woods 84.0
9 Cy-Fair 72.5
10 Friendswood 48.5
11 Conroe the Woodlands 36.5
12 Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated 31.5
13 Klein Forest 30.0
14 Houston Bellaire 26.5
15 Klein Collins 25.5
16 Richmond Foster 22.5
17 St Thomas 13.5
18 New Waverly 10.0
