November 20, 2004
FULLERTON, Calif. — Senior Matt Sanchez (Gilroy/Iowa State) and junior Christian Arellano (Moreno Valley/Canyon Springs HS) each won individual titles as the Cal State Bakersfield wrestlers traveled to Titan Gym for the 2004 Fullerton Open on Saturday.
In addition to Sanchez and Arellano’s win, senior Scott O’Rear (Centennial HS) placed third at 184 pounds and senior Bryan Travers (Escalon/Escalon HS) was fourth at 197 pounds. There was no team scoring at the meet and results were not immediately available afterward.
Sanchez, who entered the competition ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division I, took the 133–pound class, pinning Christian Bauer of Fresno State in the third period of the final. Sanchez went 5–0 in the competition to improve his record to 7–0 on the season. In 2004, he started the year with 10 straight victories en route to earning All-American honors with an eighth place finish at the NCAA Tournament.
Arellano picked up a win over Arizona State’s Patrick Pitsch in the championship final at 165 to keep his hot start alive. He has won all six matches since starting the season with a tough 5--–3 loss.
O’Rear came back to pull out a victory in overtime of the third–fourth place match, scoring a takedown after the match was tied at six at the end of regulation.
Travers was not so lucky, falling in the third place match and settling for fourth place.
The Roadrunners also got impressive showings from junior Brian Busby (San Diego/Scripps Ranch) at 157 and sophomore Eric Parker (Ramona/Ramona HS) at heavyweight. Both wrestlers finished one win out of the third–fourth place matches in their respective weight classes.
Cal State Bakersfield returns to the mat on Tuesday for the annual Blue-Gold match which begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Icardo Center.
California State University, Bakersfield Athletic Department
9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022
Phone: (661) 654-3071 • FAX: (661) 654-2376
