RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - On Saturday, December 11^th one could hear the shouts of “cross face”, “chop him down”, “get your points” and “cradle” echoing throughout the Cordova gym as the tournament known as the Cordova Massacre took place. Approximately 430 wrestlers representing 38 high schools in the region competed in the one-day event featuring varsity, junior varsity and girl’s matches. Cordova wrestlers did extremely well and took home numerous medals in all weight classes.

The annual event, which was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, is a major fundraiser for the Cordova wrestling program. The packed gymnasium was in full service starting with 7:00 am weigh-ins and ending around 6 pm with the final heavyweight and first place matches. The bleachers were packed and the concession stand ran out of food around 1:30 pm.

Don Martinez, Cordova’s head wrestling coach started this tournament back in 1989. Coach Martinez, who also is the head wrestling coach at Sierra College, has a philosophy that is very different than most programs. His technique is to have his wrestlers go at a slower pace with the hopes that they will peak at the right time towards the end of the season taking them into the post league competition and possibly a trip to the Masters Tournament and even the State competition. “We will beat the wrestlers that we’re losing to at the beginning of the season. We are on pace. We see the progress everyday,” said Coach Martinez.

The program, which is in a rebuilding mode with more participation in the freshmen and sophomore levels, has seen much improvement due to the wrestling programs at Mills and Mitchell Middle Schools, as they are able to build interest in the sport starting in 6^th grade. I see great things ahead for this young enthusiastic group of wrestlers. They have been working hard and improving with each practice and understand what it takes to be successful.

The league competition starts on January 11th with matches against Florin and West Campus at Natomas High School, January 18^th against Valley and Johnson at Valley High School and finishing up on January 25^th vs. Natomas at Cordova High. All matches start at 5 pm.