California – What a great tournament the Freak Show is becoming with the addition of Two-time California CIF state champion Israel Saavedra and state place winner Anthony Hernandez. Last year Saavedra won the Freak Show Elite division at 128 pounds in a weight class that included three California state champions and several state champions from across the nation*. In the semifinals he defeated Mason Pengilly who was a defending Freak Show champion from 2012, 3-1. In the finals he beat another California state champion Jonathan Parada from San Fernando High School 2-0 to make a statement, and declare himself as the legitimate candidate for state title in the Golden State. Both Pengilly and Parada got scholarships to wrestle in college. Pengilly to Stanford University and Parada to Notre Dame College.
Saavedra is currently ranked No. 10 by Associated Wrestling Prep, No. 12 by The Open Mat and No. 8 by FloWrestling at 126 pounds.
Saavedra is one of the top juniors in the Golden State and has a strong chance of becoming the 2nd ever 4-time California state champion. The first one to win 4 state titles was Cal Poly’s two-time All-American, Darrell Vasquez in the 2001-2002 wrestling season.
Hernandez looked impressive last year in the Freak Show at 122 pounds. Unseeded in the tournament, he worked his way into the finals by defeating 3-time Minnesota state champion, Cameron Sykora, 3-1 SV1 in the semifinals. In the finals he put a takedown clinic by defeating Michigan state champion, Bailey Jack, 7-3.
Hernandez is a great wrestler with mat awareness who has qualified to the California state tournament since his freshman season. Last season he became a state place winner by placing 7th in the state tournament at 126 pounds and making the 1st team All-tournament at the tough Clash tournament in Minnesota.
*California is one of six states in the union that has a single division in wrestling with over 869
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