Herd Places Fourth At Mettler

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It’s annually the tournament that officially marks the start of the high school wrestling season in Northern California. The Curt Mettler Invitational brought 21 of the top wrestling teams last weekend to Elk Grove High School.

The event was won by state power Buchanan with De LaSalle second and Del Oro third.

Host Elk Grove placed fourth on the strength of Jacob Seto’s third straight Mettler individual championship at 114 pounds. 

114-pounder Jacob Seto

“(Kalani) Tonge also had a good tournament,” Elk Grove wrestling coach Pat Coffing said. “I think we’ll be pretty decent this year. With Seto, Kalani, the twins (Lokahi and Nahale Tonge) and Terrell (Turner) I think we’ll be a team people will have to reckon with.”

The Herd graduated only heavyweight Tyler Yates, state qualifier Sai Ta’amu, and 145-pounder Carson Sperber. Ta’amu’s younger brother, Lau, along with 190-pounder Jake Bellecci and Jon Pochop coming off the football team will all be counted on to contribute this year once, as Coffing called it, “they get into wrestling shape.”

(see Photos from the Mettler on the Sports Corner's Facebook site)

This weekend the Herd will be tested as they compete at the 14^th annual Zinkin Classic at Buchanan High School in Clovis. This tournament brings in some of the wrestling powers of the Central and South Sections.