Cal Poly Opens 2022-23 Wrestling Season With 38-9 Dual Meet Victory over California Baptist

Riverside, CA. — Cal Poly opened its highly anticipated 2022-23 wrestling season Saturday afternoon with a 38-9 victory over California Baptist in a non-conference dual meeting inside Van Dyne Gym.

Coach Jon Sioredas’ Mustangs won the first five bouts for a 24-0 lead and finished with eight wins in 10 matchups, including falls by Antonio Lorenzo, Zeth Romney and Trevor Tinker.

After overcoming a 2-0 deficit with an escape and takedown, Lorenzo got things going for Cal Poly with a pin in just 1 minute, 49 seconds, over Elijah Griffin at 125 pounds.

After building a 6-0 lead with a takedown and four-point near fall, Romney earned his fall in 1:55 over Christian Nunez at 141 and Tinker led 8-1 before needing just 2:42 to pin his foe, Chris Island, in the final bout at 285.

“Our guys were fired up,” said Sioredas. “Proud of our effort up and down the lineup.”

Two-time NCAA All-American Bernie Truax notched an 18-0 technical fall in the first period against Elijah Sobas with an early takedown and a quartet of four-point near falls.

Other Mustang winners were Wisconsin transfer Ethan Rotondo with a 6-2 decision at 133, Oklahoma transfer Dom Demas with a 12-4 major decisision at 149, Luka Wick with at 157 and Jarad Priest with a 7-2 decision at 174.

Rotondo earned a takedown in the first period and an escape and takedown in the final period plus riding time for his win. Demas tallied four takedowns, an escape, two-point near fall and riding time for his major.

Wick recorded two takedowns and a trio of four-point near falls for his technical fall and Priest scored a takedown in the first period, an escape and takedown in the second period and an escale plus riding time in the final period for his victory.

“Great start to the season,” Sioredas said. “We will build off this performance and be ready for the Tiger Style Invite next weekend in Missouri.”

The Tiger Style Invitational hosted by the University of Missouri will be held in Kansas City next Saturday.

Cal Poly (38) at California Baptist (9):

125 — Antonio Lorenzo (CP) pinned Elijah Griffin (CBU) 1:49

133 — Ethan Rotondo (CP) dec. Hunter Leake (CBU) 6-2

141 — Zeth Romney (CP) pinned Christian Nunez (CBU) 1:55

149 — Dom Demas (CP) maj. dec. Chaz Hallmark (CBU) 12-4

157 — Luka Wick (CP) tech. fall Joseph Mora (CBU) 16-0 (6:33)

165 — Mitchell Mesenbrink (CBU) pinned Daniel Vizcarra (CP) 3:42

174 — Jarad Priest (CP) dec. Louis Rojas (CBU) 7-2

184 — Caden Gerlach (CBU) dec. Brawley Lamer (CP) 8-2

197 — Bernie Truax (CP) tech. fall Elijah Sobas (CBU) 18-0 (2:40)

285 — Trevor Tinker (CP) pinned Chris Island (CBU) 2:42