SAN FRANCISCO – Naveed Bagheri (Los Gatos, Calif., Los Gatos HS, West Valley College) (133) and Steve Franklin (Middletown, Calif., Middletown HS, Santa Rosa JC) (285) each won individual titles in their respective weight classes on Saturday to lead the San Francisco State wrestling team at the 34^th Annual California Collegiate Open in the Main Gymnasium. The Gators also received a pair of second-place finishes from Jamil Smart (Pittsburg, Calif., Concord HS) (141) and Vince Bordi (Manteca, Calif., Manteca HS) (197) in their final home competition of the 2009-10 season, while Ben Lockett (San Francisco, Calif., George Washington HS) (141 – 3^rd) and Isaiah Jimenez (Chualar, Calif., Palma HS) (157 – 4^th) earned medals as well. 

 

Bagheri, ranked third in the latest Division II poll, posted three technical falls and one major decision on the day, outscoring his opponents by a combined 63-4 en route to his second tournament crown of the year after winning at the Menlo Invitational on Jan. 3. For his efforts, he received the Dr. Northrup Award as the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. With his 12-1 triumph in the finals over Brandan Rocha, an unattached competitor from Cal Poly, Bagheri has now won 19 consecutive bouts dating back to Nov. 25, when he suffered his lone defeat of the year in a dual meet against Stanford.

 

Franklin, who is currently ranked No. 8 in Division II, also impressed in his championship quest on Saturday, pinning two opponents to help successfully defend his California Collegiates title from a year ago. After recording a victory by fall over Cal Baptist's Vince Pezzuto at the 3:53 mark, Franklin duplicated the feat against John Hayes, an unattached wrestler from Cal State Fullerton in the first period at 2:30. He then posted a 4-1 decision over Jim Powers of Cal Poly before dispatching Boise State's Toby Erickson, another Division I competitor, by a 5-2 count in the finals.  With his performance, Franklin, raised his record to 24-8 on the year and extended his winning streak to 12 matches. His two pins also gave him a team-leading 11 for the season and 30 for his career, which ties him with Morris Johnson on the school's all-time list.

 

At 141, Smart opened with a trio of victories over unattached wrestlers Dylan Cataline (5-2), Henry Yorba (7-6) and Thomas Cottrell (3-2) before upsetting fellow teammate and fourth-ranked Ben Lockett, 3-2, in the semifinals. Smart's run was derailed in the title bout, however, after suffering a 7-3 setback at the hands of former Gator All-American Donald Lockett, who also entered the tournament unattached.

 

Ben Lockett, meanwhile, came back in the consolation bracket, posting a 19-11 major decision over Cal State Bakersfield's unattached Dalton Kelly before edging Caleb Vollotton of Division I Oregon State, 6-4, in the third-place match.

 

Bordi put himself in contention for his second tournament title of the season after registering a 15-5 major decision over Menlo's Hanna Malak and a 6-1 triumph over Grant Haschak of Cal Poly. However, the Manteca native came up just short in the finals, suffering a tough 3-1 defeat to Cal State Bakersfield's Riley Orozco.

 

At 157, Jimenez split his first two encounters in the main draw before winning three straight in the consolation bracket. Then in the third-place bout, Jimenez ran out of steam as his adversary Nikko Cataline of Cal Baptist came away with a victory by fall at 2:15.

 

Rounding out the highlights for SF State on Saturday were a pair of pins from Aaron Wilson (Half Moon Bay, Calif., Half Moon Bay HS, Cal State Fullerton) at 149, while Ricky Bernal racked up three wins at 125, including a pin against Drake Medeiros of Menlo.

 

SF State will be back in action next week when they travel to UC Davis for a non-conference dual meet on Friday, Feb. 5, beginning at 7 p.m.

 

 

Lost by major decision to Jake Tannenbaum (CP-Unatt.), 12-4

Consolation: Won by decision over Sammie Orozco (Unatt.), 6-2

                         Lost by decision to Martin Gonzalez (CSF-Unatt.), 7-3

                     

Won by decision over Dylan Cataline (Unatt.), 5-2

Won by decision over Henry Yorba (Unatt.), 7-6
Won by decision over Thomas Cottrell (CSUB-Unatt.), 3-2

Won by decision over Ben Lockett (SF State), 3-2

Finals: Lost by decision to Donald Lockett (Unatt.), 7-3

 

Won by major decision over Eddie Garcia (CSUF), 19-7

Won by decision over Jose Mendoza (CSUB-Unatt.), 12-10

Lost by decision to Jamil Smart (SF State), 3-2

Consolation:  Won by major decision over Dalton Kelly (CSUB-Unatt.), 19-11

 

Consolation: Won by fall over Matt Johnston (Unatt.), 1:07

                         Lost by decision to Cody Gibson (Menlo), 5-3

Won by decision over Cody Lords (Unatt.), 9-4

Lost by decision to Nikko Cataline (CBU), 6-1

Consolation: Won by major decision over Eric Bellas (UCSD), 11-3

                         Won by decision over Jonah Cruz (CSF-Unatt.), 7-3

                         Won by major decision over Pearce Swerdfeger (CP-Unatt.), 14-4

                         Lost by fall to Nikko Cataline (CBU), 2:15

Lost by technical fall to Jonah Cruz (CSF-Unatt.), 16-1

Consolation: Lost by decision to Eric Bellas (UCSD), 5-0

                        

Lost by major decision to Joey Wilson (UCD), 14-4

Consolation: Lost by decision to Dominic Borelli (Unatt.), 9-7

                      

 

 

Lost by decision to Kelan Bragg (CP), 8-1

Consolation: Lost by decision to Derek Rottenberg (Unatt.), 6-3

Won by major decision over Hanna Malak (Menlo), 15-5

Won by decision over Grant Haschak (CP-Unatt.), 6-1

Finals:  Lost by decision to Riley Orozco (CSUB), 3-1

Won by fall over Vince Pezzuto (CBU), 3:53

Won by fall over John Hayes (CSUF-Unatt.), 2:30

Won by decision over John Powers (CP), 4-1

Finals:  Won by decision over Toby Erickson (BSU), 5-2 

Complete Results