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Hollister High senior wrestler Golda Demby is in the semifinals of the state tournament in the girls 190 Pounds division. She defeated Mayfair High School’s Reanna Chavez 10-1 in the quarterfinals. She is scheduled to wrestle Gabrielino High School’s Juliana Marquez Feb. 29 at 10:30 a.m.
Two other Hollister wrestlers—Aaron Rodriguez and Cole Seymour— competed in the tournament but were eliminated Feb. 28.
Coach Steven Salcedo said Demby has done “what we expect her to do.”
She won her first two matches on Feb. 27 and the quarterfinal round on Feb. 28.
Demby, who qualified for the tournament by winning her weight class in the Central Coast Section, has dominated the competition, pinning one opponent and defeating another 17-3 in the first two rounds.
This is Demby’s second year wrestling and she has found success since deciding to step onto the mat. She said she considered herself a basketball player but upon moving to Hollister from San Jose, she opted to give the sport a try.
“I’m pretty decently strong,” she said. “I think I’m stronger than most people my age and weight.”
She hopes the experience she obtained last year helps her achieve her goal of winning her division. In her first year, Demby placed third in CCS and fifth in the state’s tournament.
While she has also found success in track and field, winning two CCS championships in shotput and another in Discus, she feels wrestling is “it’s own beast.”
“It’s a different type of intensity,” she said. “Different kind of work ethic.”
She said aside from the skills she’s learned, wrestling teaches athletes life lessons such as working hard and never giving up.
Senior Aaron Rodriguez began the tournament with an 11-8 loss but recovered, winning the next two matches 7-1 with a pin in the boys 138 Pounds division. He was then eliminated from the tournament by Hesperia High School’s Emiliano Hernandez by pin, ending with a 2-2 tournament record.
Before traveling to Bakersfield, Rodriguez told BenitoLink this year he accomplished several goals including winning the Apple Cider Tournament in Watsonville and the Firebaugh Westside Invitational. He qualified to the state tournament placing third at the Central Coast Section playoffs.
Rodriguez began wrestling when he was four years old. This was his first time competing at the state level.
He said he was planning on using all of his experience in being in different situations to go as far as possible and felt he had nothing to lose.
“It’s my last year, I’ll just go out and leave a mark,” he said.
Salcedo said Rodriguez competed “his butt off” but faced tough competition. Overall, he said he had a successful year.
“I know I’ll miss him for sure as a coach,” Salcedo said. “Besides a good competitor, he is a really good kid.”
Sophomore Seymour lost to Bullard’s High School Roman Gutierrez 14-6 in the round of 32. He defeated Del Oro’s Chase Young 19-8 in the round of 64. He then lost to Central High School’s Kennerth Gonzales in the first consolation match to end with a 1-2 record for the tournament.
Like Rodriguez, Seymour won the Apple Cider Tournament and the Firebaugh Westside Invitational in the 150-Pounds division. He placed 4th in the CCS playoffs to qualify for the first time to the state tournament.
Seymour, who began wrestling when he was six years old, placed fifth in CCS last year, just shy of qualifying to the state tournament. He said this year he was able to be more technical which helped in closer, tougher matches. He told BenitoLink he was planning to go “all out.”
“I have two more years ahead of me and I just want to see where I’m at,” he said.
Salcedo said it was a valuable experience for Seymour, especially winning a match.
“I know he wished he would have competed a little better and win a few more matches,” he said. “I’m proud of him and glad he was able to come and get at least one victory.”
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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