Ben and Max Askren Scrambling

This is great stuff! Check it out:

Wrestling Videos on Flowrestling

Junior Greco World Duals and NUWAY America's Cup National Duals

Just wanted to pass along some information to you guys related to some great opportunities to watch high caliber wrestling...

First off, CYC in Concord is hosting the Junior Greco World Duals this Saturday and Sunday (May 29-30).  Admission for kids 18 and younger is FREE!! Also, if you attend Saturday's session, you will have the opportunity to attend a free clinic and learn some greco-roman technique from a USA National and World Team member.  Click here for a look at some of the local, state and out-of-state wrestlers competing at the World Duals over the weekend.

Also, next Friday and Saturday (June 4-5), the NUWAY America's Cup National Duals will be held at Cal State Fullerton and Clovis High.  This event will feature all-star teams from Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, and several sectional California teams, who will compete in a dual meet format.  The great thing about this event is that it will be available for viewing ONLINE for the cost of a meal!! I CANNOT stress enough the importance of supporting this event and California wrestling!! You will find all the information you need to know here.

I hope you will all take advantage of these two awesome events! Contact me with any questions or details.

NEW Club Practice Times

Hey guys, just letting you all know that starting 5/18, practices will be held on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS at 5pm (not 530pm).  Please mark your calendars, and I will see you in the mat room!

Summer Match Nights @ CYC

Hey guys, just giving you a heads up on the Summer Match Nights hosted by CYC, held every Wednesday night from June 16th through July 28th.  Matches will be wrestled under folkstyle (high school) rules and  a USA Wrestling card is NOT required.  Fees are either $20 (up front for all 7 nights) or $5 (per night).  Wrestling will be from 6-8pm and wrestlers will be matched according to weight AND experience.  All wrestlers are guaranteed 4-5 matches each night.  Mark your calendars NOW; this is a great opportunity to increase your off-season match count and gain valuable mat time, ESPECIALLY if you missed out on the freestyle/greco-roman season.

**ALL RETURNING WRESTLERS ARE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN SUMMER MATCH NIGHTS**

Luke Sheridan of DLS Takes Gold in Olympic Qualifier

http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=21958

Next Tournament @ Granada HS 04/24

Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know that our next competition will be held at Granada HS on Saturday, April 24th.  As usual, we will meet in the parking lot at 7am.  There are no local tournaments this weekend as Junior Freestyle State is being held in Tulare, CA.  EVERYONE should plan on making it to the tournament at Granada HS, so mark your calendars now and get your matches in!!

**DVDS:  For those of you (or your parents) who are interested, DVD copies of the '09-'10 Season Highlights are available.  If interested, please e-mail me or stop by and see me at practice and I will be sure to get you your own copy.**

Tournament @ Liberty HS 4/3

Hey guys, we will be heading out to Liberty HS in Brentwood this Saturday, April 3rd.  Info on the tournament is available in the mat room.  Stop by practice on Wednesday and pick up a flyer. 

"You can make tremendous improvements by training during the off season.  What you do between now and November will make a tremendous difference in your performance next season.  I encourage you to make the most of your time this summer!"

Ken Chertow - NCAA All-American and US Olympian

Freestyle/Greco @ CYC

LISTEN UP!! The team will be heading up to CYC in Concord THIS Saturday, March 27th to get some matches in.  ALL returning wrestlers are expected to compete this weekend.  If you cannot go, or still do not have a USA Wrestling card, you need to let me know why ASAP so we can work something out.

Information on the tournament can be found here.  Flyers are also available in the mat room.  CYC will REQUIRE all participating wrestlers to print and sign their waiver in order to compete in their facility.  Please make sure that you all do this!  Everyone is strongly encouraged to sign up for BOTH freestyle and greco divisions.  Carpool and other details will be discussed at practice tonight at 530pm.  See you there!!

Tournament @ Castro Valley HS

IMPORTANT reminder to all wrestlers expecting to compete in the freestyle/greco tournament hosted by Castro Valley HS this Saturday, March 13th.

ALL WRESTLERS MUST BE PRE-REGISTERED FOR THE TOURNAMENT PRIOR TO SATURDAY MORNING!!  To pre-register, log on to trackwrestling.com, then follow these directions:

1) On the homepage, scroll down and highlight '2010 BAWA Junior/Open Castro Valley on 3/13', then click on the 'Enter Tournament' button. (It is very important that you find the 3/13 tournament and NOT 3/12)
2) Then click the link that reads 'Pre-Register Now'
3) A window will pop up that will require you to register.  You will find instructions that will walk you through the rest of the registration process.

Awards Banquet Reminder

Just throwing out a reminder that all guest forms for the awards banquet should be returned to Coach Thomsen AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  We need to get an accurate head count submitted to Sunol Valley Golf Club to make sure that they will accommodate enough seating and food for everyone.  Please DO NOT wait until the last minute to get this taken care of.

All wrestlers are expected to be there, and your family members are STRONGLY encouraged to attend as well to share this experience with the wrestling team and staff.  It is a fun time for all, as we will reflect on the season, present several awards and will unveil the 2009-2010 highlight video.

Make sure that your name (with guests) are included on the guest list on the team website.  If you need a guest form, please click here.  See you all there!!

"Every Wrestler's Last Match"

Here is a good read for you guys, it's an article written by James Emig that appeared in the tournament program of the 1993 Ohio State Wrestling Championships (slightly tweaked for us CA wrestlers):

"There comes a time when every wrestler realizes his competitive career is over. Exactly when that moment occurs varies for every wrestler. For some, that realization takes place in advance of their last match; those wrestlers walk out onto the mat knowing it ends after that match. Others get caught up in the race for the top and don’t really want to think about what may be their last match. It is difficult to put an end to something to which you have given so much of yourself. However, sooner or later, every wrestler grasps the reality that he has wrestled his last match, and for many, it will happen this weekend.

Looking through the stands and in the corridors of the arena at the state championships each year, you will see wrestlers whose careers are over. Sometimes you’ll see a mother, sister, wrestlerette or girlfriend crying while holding him; a father looking out onto the arena floor, silently thinking about what could have been. Behind every wrestler are many others who quietly, deep within themselves, wrestle right along side him. They feel the joy of victory and the pain of defeat as if it was their own. When his career ends, much of the anguish they feel is because it is also the end of something that has meant very much to them.

It is a long, difficult road from those very first matches, marked by many defeats, to the state championships. Somewhere in between, childhood ends. Games are no longer important and boys become men. Fortunate parents witness this beautiful transition. It is not without a great deal of pain and sacrifice for the wrestlers and families alike. For most wrestler, qualifying for the California State Championships represents the single greatest achievement in their young lives. For all wrestlers, qualifying represents an experience they will never forget.

No one knows what drives these young men and coaches to work so hard and sacrifice so much. The rewards come from within. This sport of wrestling brings winning and losing together such that the combination means self-improvement. This is the real reward. One wrestler can’t improve without the efforts of another. The champions owe a debt to the wrestlers they have wrestled and beaten. All wrestler who finish behind the champions owe a debt to the champs because they have improved from the experience. Collectively, we all owe a debt to this great sport because we have all been touched by our involvement.

Five hundred and sixty wrestlers enter the CA state tournament each year with the dream of winning that final match. A dream, however, only fourteen will realize. To those wrestlers who wrestle their last match this weekend, congratulations to you, no matter where you place. THE REALITY IS, THERE ARE NO LOSERS IN THE SPORT OF WRESTLING; THERE ARE ONLY THOSE WHO DID NOT WRESTLE."

Warrior Wrestling Club

Hey guys, just a reminder that our freestyle/greco club practices will start TONIGHT at 530pm.  You do not need a USA Wrestling card to practice, but you will be required to have one BEFORE the tournament this Saturday at Castro Valley.  We will talk about details at practice, including how to sign up for a USA Wrestling card and how to pre-register online for the tournament (every MUST be pre-registered and can NOT just show up Saturday and expect to wrestle.)

Corbin Lee Completes Breakout Season

Corbin fell short of bringing home a medal from the CIF State Championships, but he is still all smiles after completing his amazing breakout season, and one of the most successful in MSJ wrestling history.  Corbin finished his first year of varsity competition with an overall 44-10 record while becoming the first sophomore to qualify to the state meet for MSJ since 1998. 
Check our Season Results page on the team website for a full write-up from the CIF State Championships.

Takedown of the Week

With an NCS medal on the line, Elliot had to wrestle Griffith Gates (Foothill) for the fourth time of the '09-'10 season. Behind 2-0 with about 30 seconds left in the third period, Elliot was forced to let Gates go to force the action on his feet. Now down 3-0, Elliot was awarded 1 point from the second stall warning against Gates with about 10 seconds remaining. The following clip starts with about 6 seconds left in the match...

CIF State Brackets are Posted

The brackets have been released and can be downloaded/printed here.  Corbin will face SD1 from Poway HS in the opening round of the tournament.  Good luck to Corbin and all NCS wrestlers down in Bakersfield!! 

NCS Day 2 Updates

CORBIN LEE IS GOING TO STATE!! He advances to the 3rd place match where he will face Artemio Flores for the fourth time this season. In the consolation semis, Corbin beat Snyder (SPSV) 6-4 in overtime for his ticket to Bakersfield.

Elliot Espinoza has also earned an NCS medal and is in the 7th place medal match later tonight.

**UPDATE** Corbin BEATS Flores and will enter the state meet as a 3rd place medal winner. Siwen Dickstein is now an NCS CHAMPION after she earned some redemption of her own at the Girl's NCS championships. Siwen defeated Shoshanna Markus (CV) by fall in the championship final to earn her first section title. Markus beat Siwen at NCS last season in the 3rd place match. Elliot Espinoza earned an 8th place medal while compiling an overall 4-3 record over the weekend as an unseeded wrestler.

NCS - Day 1 Results

Sophomore Corbin Lee has already secured a top-6 finish in the 103-lb. bracket after advancing to the semifinal round Saturday morning.  Corbin was bumped up to the 5th seed after Connor Aura (Foothill) dropped out due to a knee injury.  In the quarterfinal round, Corbin defeated 4th-seeded Fwee Chao (Upper Lake) by 7-5 decision and is set-up for a rematch against top-seeded Joey Moita (De La Salle) in the semifinals.
Also alive and looking to advance to next week's state championships are Wei Kuo (119), David Wilson (145) and Elliot Espinoza (215).
Click here for Day 1 brackets.

NCS Brackets Posted

Brackets have been released and are posted here.

*UPDATE* The Girl's NCS brackets have also been released.  Junior Siwen Dickstein is entered as the #1 seed of the 103-lb. weight class.

Good luck to ALL Mission San Jose wrestlers this weekend!!

NCS Seeds Released

The seeds have been posted.  Corbin got the #6 seed at 103 lbs., Wei is the #8 seed at 119 lbs., and David Wilson is the #7 seed at 145 lbs.

The full list of seeds have been posted on The California Wrestler forum.  The brackets will be released Monday.  They will be posted here as soon as they are available.

Updates from MVAL Championships

After the semifinal round, MSJ has five wrestlers in the championship final; Wei Kuo, Leo Yang, Nathan Ellebracht, David Wilson and Elliot Espinoza have all qualified for the NCS Championships through their respective weight classes.
Corbin Lee, Will Booth, Benson Zhang, Zannain Shafi, Michael Lee and David Kim are all battling back through the consolation bracket and look to qualify to NCS as 3rd place MVAL medalists.
Surbir Sandhu, Isaac Chang and Siwen Dickstein also remain undefeated on the day and look to finish as MVAL champions.

*UPDATE* Congrats to Isaac Chang and Siwen Dickstein for winning MVAL titles.

*UPDATE* Corbin - 3rd, Will - 4th, Benson - 5th, Zannain - 3rd, David Kim - 4th.

*UPDATE* Wei - MVAL Champ, Leo - 2nd, Nathan - 2nd, David Wilson - 2nd, Elliot - MVAL Champ

MVAL Seeds

The seeding meeting took place Wednesday night, all MSJ wrestlers received top-3 seeds, including three #1 seeds in: Wei Kuo (119), Leo Yang (135) and Elliot Espinoza (215).  Here is the complete list of seeds:

103
Artemio Flores - JL

Corbin Lee - MSJ

Tung Le - NM

112
Thien Pham - AMER
Cavan McCafferry - JL

Will Booth - MSJ

Kohei Kurokawa - WASH

119 

Wei Kuo - MSJ

Diego Facundo - JL

125
Andro Bautista - JL
Isaiah Cortez - JFK

Benson Zhang - MSJ

130
Danny Mai - JL

Zannain Shafi - MSJ

Jacob Pratt - NM
Daniel Cervantes - JFK

135

Leo Yang - MSJ

Nolen Kajiwara - JL
Dominic Cesena - WASH

140
Mansoor Ezat - AMER

Nathan Ellebracht - MSJ

Tony Bennett - JL
Nikko Suminguit - IRV

145
Victor Pereira -NM

David Wilson - MSJ

John Santiago - JL

152
Allen Chan - JL
Daniel Luty - AMER

Michael Lee - MSJ

Robert Nagel - JFK
Jon Pratt - NM

160
Jose Martinez - NM
Gurbinder Kang - JL
Joseph Johnson - WASH

171
Marcus Bishop - JFK
Stephen Kay - AMER
David Permito - JL
Greg Huey - IRV

189
Matt Haney - JL
Mick McElvogue - NM

David Kim - MSJ

Dane Burgess - IRV

215

Elliot Espinoza - MSJ

Mike Loya - JFK

285 
Kalifatoni Pole - JL
Elmer Hamidy - NM
Jorge Garcia - WASH
Sid Sharma - IRV

Top-3 finishers of each weight class qualify to the North Coast Section Championships next weekend.  Good luck to all wrestlers!!

Team Photos

Quick reminder, team photos will be taken Wednesday, February 17th.  All wrestlers must report to the mat room immediately after school.  Please be SURE to bring full warm-ups, cleaned and wrinkle-free.  Any wrestlers who did not have their individual photo taken back in December should also bring their singlets.  All of you are strongly encouraged to purchase ANY of the available packages, extra order forms are available in the mat room.

Update from NCS Duals

MSJ defeats Foothill in the opening round of the tournament 45-24. Of the 24 points scored by Foothill, 18 came from forfeits. We got great performances out of David Wilson, Michael Lee, Will Booth and Benson Zhang - all of whom won by fall. Leo Yang also scored a 22-5 technical fall at 137-lbs. Up next is a match-up versus #1-seeded De La Salle, the EBAL champion.

*UPDATE* MSJ loses to De La Salle 56-15. MSJ managed only three wins in the dual - a decision from David Wilson and pins from Corbin Lee and Wei Kuo. Our next match-up is versus HAAL champion Castro Valley in the consolation bracket.

*UPDATE* After giving up 18 points in forfeits, Mission loses 43-36 to Castro Valley. MSJ is eliminated from the NCS duals with a 1-2 record.

Warrior Wrestling Club

The freestyle/greco-roman wrestling season is right around the corner, with club practices starting Monday, March 8th at 530pm.  Avoid the rush and get your '09-'10 USA Wrestling card NOW!!
If you purchased a card last season, you should have already received an e-mail from USA Wrestling regarding your membership renewal.  The e-mail should include your USAW ID and password and provides a direct link for you to follow. 
If you have NEVER purchased a card, you can do so by clicking on this link and creating an account with USA Wrestling.  Once you have entered your personal info, you will need a credit/debit card to purchase your card.  (Membership cards are $35 and are REQUIRED to participate in any freestyle/greco events.)
Please be SURE to print TWO copies of your USA Wrestling card.  Any questions can be emailed to: aandrew.do@gmail.com.
First freestyle/greco tournament is March 13th.  Let's do this!!  

MSJ Qualifies for NCS Duals

It's official!! The Warriors have qualified for the NCS Dual Championships with their (5-1) MVAL record for the first time since the '05-'06 season.  A list of teams entered in the Div. I East Bay bracket can be seen here. (This is just a list of teams and does NOT reflect seeding.  The seeding meeting takes place the morning of the tournament.)

MSJ Defeats JFK at Home

The MSJ varsity wrestling team closed out the MVAL dual season with a win over the Kennedy Titans, 54-21. It was the last time seniors Benson Zhang, Nathan Ellebracht, David Wilson and Elliot Espinoza would ever compete in our home gym.  Congratulations to these four guys for their dedication and commitment to the team over the past several years.  Also a very special THANK YOU goes out to the parents of our seniors for their continued support of their kids and the MSJ wrestling program! 

Senior Night @ MSJ

This Wednesday, the Mission San Jose Warriors will host their final dual of the season against the Kennedy Titans.  The team will also honor its four seniors for their dedication and hard work (and their parents for all their support) during a pre-match ceremony.  Come out and support the Class of 2010 and be there to watch the team close out the MVAL dual season!!

Clip of the Week

In the 5th place medal match, Corbin and Jeremy Snyder of St.Patrick St.Vincent HS went into the 3rd period scoreless.  Snyder chose neutral and scored on a takedown about 30 seconds into the round and rode Corbin for most of the round.  The following clip shows the final 14 seconds of the match...

Another year at the MSJ Invitational

The Warriors made it out of the 2010 Mission San Jose Invitational with one medalist - Corbin Lee (5th at 105 lbs.) This year's tournament was stacked full of talent at each weight class.  After day one, seven wrestlers made it to the second day - Corbin Lee, Wei Kuo, David Wilson and Elliot Espinoza in the quarterfinals, and Benson Zhang, Zannain Shafi and Leo Yang still coming back through the consolation bracket.  When all was said and done, the Warriors scored 57 points to finish 17th in the team race. 

Mission defeats Huskies in Tri-Meet

In the second tri-meet of the season, MSJ handily defeated the Washington Huskies by a score of 77-6.  The only points scored by Washington came at a forfeit in the HWT division.  MSJ received a bye in the second round of the tri-meet.  The Warriors are now just a day away from competing in the 35th annual Mission San Jose Invitational.  Stop by and show your support!!

MSJ Invitational Seeds

Seeding meeting for the Mission San Jose Invitational was held Tuesday night.  MSJ had three wrestlers seeded:

Wei Kuo (7th @ 125)
David Wilson (3rd @ 145)
Elliot Espinoza (8th @ 215)

Full list of seeds can be viewed on our tournament page.

Clip of the Week

Announcements for Week of 2/1-2/6

As we enter the week of the 35th annual MSJ Invitational, here are a few announcements and changes to the practice schedule this week:

Monday, February 1st

Minimum Day (school released at 11:55am)
Practice for ALL at 5pm

Wednesday, February 3rd

MVAL tri-meet @ Logan
All wrestlers are to meet @ JLHS at 330pm (we will discuss the ride situation after practice on Tuesday)

Thursday, February 4th

All wrestlers who are NOT competing in the MSJ Invitational MUST be at practice to attend a MANDATORY scorekeepers meeting with Larry Katz.
Also, ALL MSJ wrestlers will be expected to stay after practice and help set up both gyms for the tournament.  Please give your parents a heads up and let them know you will be staying on campus for a few hours after practice.

Friday and Saturday, February 5th-6th

The 35th Annual Mission San Jose Invitational
ALL wrestlers MUST help work the tables and be responsible for other miscellaneous jobs both days.  If your parent(s) have not yet signed up to volunteer for a shift either day, please let us know immediately.  Everybody's help and cooperation is necessary to keep this one of the highest rated and well-run tournaments in the state of California!!

Puma Classic Results

The Warriors walked away with 5 medalists at the 2010 Puma Classic at Maria Carillo HS. The following wrestlers medaled:

Corbin Lee (3rd @ 105)
Wei Kuo (2nd @ 127)
David Wilson (3rd @ 147)
Michael Lee (6th @ 154) Injury Default
Elliot Espinoza (4th @ 217)

MSJ places 5th in the team standings. Full results will be posted on our team page tomorrow...or Monday.

Old Dominion Workout Video

Another great video from Flowrestling featuring an intense workout with lots of great scrambling.  These guys just DO NOT want to lose and they really bring it during practice!  Enjoy.

Wrestling Videos on Flowrestling

Puma Classic Seeds Posted

The preliminary seeds have been posted.  The following MSJ wrestlers have been seeded:

Corbin Lee (3rd @ 105 lbs.)
Wei Kuo (1st @ 127)
Zannain Shafi (8th @ 132)
Leo Yang (4th @ 137)
Nathan Ellebracht (4th @ 142)
David Wilson (4th @ 147)
Michael Lee (5th @ 154)
David Kim (7th @ 191)
Elliot Espinoza (4th @ 217)

Full seeding info can be found on The California Wrestler forum.

Mission BEATS Newark

After last week's loss at home to James Logan, the Warriors bounced back strong and beat Newark Memorial in their home gym, 40-23.  It is the first time since the 2001-2002 season that Mission has defeated Newark Memorial.  This win secured MSJ into 2nd place in the MVAL standings with a (3-1) record. 
Full results can be found in our Season Results page.

Team List for 2010 Puma Classic

Alhambra
Analy
Amador Valley
Archbishop Riordan
Arroyo
Buchanan
Castro Valley
Casa Grande
College Park
Del Norte
Dougherty Valley
Dublin
El Molino
Eureka
Foothill-Pleasanton
Granada
Hayward
Healdsburg
Maria Carillo
Middletown

Mission San Jose

North Monterey
Petaluma
Rancho Cotate
Sutter Union
Vacaville
Windsor

Be prepared to make scratch weight guys. (105, 114, 121, 127, etc.)

Intensity and Attitude

Just wanted to share an old video from Flowrestling.  It's a typical workout from the University of Iowa mat room.  They are currently ranked 1st in the nation, have won the last two NCAA team titles, and 22 overall in the last 35 years.  We've been talking to you guys a lot this season about intensity, pressure and drilling with a purpose.  Take some time to watch this workout, the video pretty much sums it up.  So much of wrestling is mental, it's about having the right attitude.  If we can work on keeping the right attitude and keeping the intensity level up, I CAN'T WAIT for the post-season!!

Wrestling Videos on Flowrestling

Finals Week Schedule

We have a busy week coming up for MSJ wrestlers.  It is important that we stay disciplined and focused with what we need to do both in the classroom and the mat room as well.  Here's a reminder of what our week looks like:

Monday, January 25th
ALL practice @ 5pm

Tuesday, January 26th
ALL practice @ 3pm

Wednesday, January 27th
FINALS - Minimum Day (school dismissed at 1210pm) 
Dual vs. Newark Memorial
Meet at NMHS @ 330pm

Thursday, January 28th
FINALS - Minimum Day (school dismissed at 1210pm) 
Practice @ 1230pm

Friday, January 29th
FINALS - Minimum Day (school dismissed at 1210pm)
JV practice @ 4pm
Var - leave for Santa Rosa

Saturday, January 30th
JV - Liberty F/S/JV
Var - Puma Classic

Good luck to everyone this week; study hard, wrestle harder!!

MSJ Splits Matches at Tri-Meet

Mission's JV and varsity squads both split their matches on the night, defeating American in the first dual before losing to James Logan.  The first ever MVAL tri-meet was a success; all seven teams were gathered in one gym for the evening to wrestle off in duals, concluding with an exciting, highly-contested MSJ/JL dual meet.

Team Scores:

JV - American - 19

JV - Mission San Jose - 54

Var - American - 21

Var - Mission San Jose - 47

JV - James Logan - 66

JV - Mission San Jose - 9

Var - James Logan - 39

Var - Mission San Jose - 23

For full results from both dual meets, check out our Season Results page on our team website.

Clayton Valley Invitational Finals Pics at Tech-Fall.com

 

Check out more of these pics provided by Tony Rotundo at Tech-Fall.com.

MVAL Tri-Meet @ MSJ

Come out and support MVAL's first ever tri-meet at Mission San Jose HS on Wednesday, January 20th at 5pm.  All seven MVAL teams will be on site and each team will be paired off to wrestle two duals (second round will begin as soon as both teams have completed their first dual).  
There will be three mats set up in the main gym and a snack bar will be open until the duals have concluded.  This is a first-time event for the MVAL, come out and support MSJ and the rest of MVAL wrestling!!

Clayton Valley Podium Pics

Corbin Lee (2nd @ 105)

Will Booth (5th @ 114)

Wei Kuo (2nd @ 127)

Zannain Shafi (4th @ 132)

Nathan Ellebracht (5th @ 142)

David Wilson (CHAMPION @ 147)

Michael Lee (4th @ 154)

David Kim (3rd @ 191)

Elliot Espinoza (3rd @ 217)

Mission San Jose Warriors

2010 Clayton Valley Invitational TEAM CHAMPIONS!!

Clayton Valley TEAM CHAMPIONS!!

Congratulations to the MSJ Warriors for bringing home the TEAM title scoring 174.5 points. Senior captain David Wilson led the way with his championship of the 147-lb. weight class, his first tournament title of the season.  
Other medalists include: Corbin Lee (2nd @ 105), Will Booth (5th @ 114), Wei Kuo (2nd @ 127), Zannain Shafi (4th @ 132), Nathan Ellebracht (5th @ 142), Michael Lee (4th @ 154), David Kim (3rd @ 191) and Elliot Espinoza (3rd @ 217). 
Enjoy the team title guys, you guys earned it!!

Parent Drivers Needed 01/16

The JV team will need parent volunteers to help drive approximately 20 wrestlers up to Granada HS in Livermore.  Whether you are able to drive kids to the tournament, from the tournament, or both, please let your child know and have them notify us at practice tomorrow.  Your help and assistance is both needed and much appreciated.  Thanks in advance!!

Clayton Valley Invitational Team List

Arroyo
Campolindo
College Park
Concord
De Le Salle
Del Campo
Fairfield
Foothill (Pleasanton)
Freedom
Heritage
Incline
James Logan
Los Lomas
Livermore

Mission San Jose

Montery Trail
Novato
Oak Ridge
Paradise
Placer
Sonoma
Terra Linda
West Valley
Woodland
Woodside
Ygnacio Valley

MSJ Wins MVAL Opener

Both teams were victorious over Irvington High School in front of the home crowd Wednesday night.  Check out full results on our Season Results page.

David Kim working for near fall points

MVAL Dual Season Begins!!

Come out and support your MSJ Warriors as we open up league action Wednesday in a HOME dual versus Irvington.  The meet will begin at 5pm with our JV squad, with the varsity immediately following.  Also, an IMPORTANT reminder, there will be a MANDATORY parent meeting held in the main gym following the dual meet.  All wrestlers are asked to have at least one parent present for this meeting.  Our kids have been working very hard and are excited to show the home crowd what MISSION WRESTLING is all about!!

Mat Classic Finals Pics at Tech-Fall.com

Check out more of these great pics taken by Tony Rotundo at tech-fall.com

Mat Classic Medalist and Awards Pics

Corbin Lee CHAMPION 103 lbs.

 

Wei Kuo 3rd 125 lbs.

 

Leo Yang CHAMPION 135 lbs.

 

David Wilson 3rd 145 lbs.

 

Michael Lee 3rd 152 lbs.

 

David Kim 3rd 189 lbs.

 

Elliot Espinoza 3rd 215 lbs.

3rd place TEAM finish - 171.5 points

Mat Classic Seeds

Our following wrestlers have been seeded at the Mat Classic:

103 Corbin Lee #1
112 Will Booth #10
125 Wei Kuo #2
135 Leo Yang #4
140 Nathan Ellebracht #4
145 David Wilson #5
152 Michael Lee #9
189 David Kim #5
215 Elliot Espinoza #7

"This is a sport that turns boys into leaders and leaders into men."

I never blamed people who don't follow wrestling for not understanding what we go through, what we put ourselves through. In the past, I've felt that I could care less; it was their loss. I didn't care because I was in it for myself and my teammates, and for the personal rewards and gratification.  But with wrestling programs on both the high school and collegiate levels being shut down one by one across the country, I now feel that it's more important than ever to help people realize how important this sport, and the spirit of wrestling, is to myself and to so many around the world.

Check out this article written by Brian Baiotto of the Long Beach Post. Please also scroll down and read some of the readers' comments below the article.

*UPDATED* Team List for Mat Classic

As of 01/05/10:

Albany High School (NCS)
Acalanes High School (NCS)
Amador Valley High School (NCS)
American High School (NCS)
Armijo High School (SJ)
Arroyo High School (NCS)
Campolindo High School (NCS)
Castro Valley High School (NCS)
Davis High School (NCS)
Dougherty Valley High School (NCS)
Dublin High School (NCS)
El Molino High School (NCS)
Foothill High School (NCS)
Granada High School (NCS)
Half Moon Bay High School (CCS)
Hayward High School (NCS)
Heritage High School (NCS)
Highlands High School (SJ)
Hughson High School (SJ)
Irvington High School (NCS)
James Logan High School (NCS)
Junipero Serra High School (CCS)
Las Lomas High School (NCS)
Los Altos High School (SJ)
Maria Carillo High School (NCS)
Mission High School (SF)

Mission San Jose High School (NCS)

Petaluma High School (NCS)
Ronald McNair High School (SJ)
San Marin High School (NCS)
Scotts Valley High School (CCS)
South City High School (CCS)
Tamalpais High School (NCS)
Vanden High School (SJ)

Quote of the Day

"If you don’t make any sacrifices, when it comes crunch time and times are hard, you probably won't care. That part doesn’t mean as much to you. You get in that moment, and you realize 'I’ve sacrificed something, I gotta go for it, there is no other option than winning'."

- Eric Guerrero (4x CCS champion & 3x CIF State champion for Independence High School/San Jose, CA)

MANDATORY Parent Meeting

There will be a MANDATORY parent meeting held at the conclusion of our dual meet versus Irvington High School next Wednesday, January 13th.  It is VERY important that at least one parent (if not both) of each wrestler attend this meeting regarding the Mission San Jose Invitational that is quickly approaching. 

The meeting should take place at approximately 7pm, but we hope that you come out and support your child and watch our team open the MVAL dual season in our home gym.  We look forward to meeting/seeing you soon!!

"The Story"

Everyone should watch this video from Adam Tirapelle of Clovis High. It documents some of Clovis' highlights from the 2009 CIF State Championships, but the second half of the video provides some of the most inspiring and motivational footage I have seen that reminds us why we do what we do. Please take some time to enjoy the video:

Clip of the Week

David Wilson with a nice scramble for a takedown as time expires in the round.