6 CIF Section Finalists a school record, plus 3 CIF Champs also a school record. Gabe Pena voted most outstanding wrestler, also a school first.

The Lincon Mustangs ran a very modified wrestling season this year after taking last year off due to covid.   The season officially began at the end of October but because of a new covid testing requirement, school lockdown policies, and some other challenges the Lincoln wrestling season wasn’t able to start until January.   We also didn’t have the chance to visit PE classes to recruit new athletes and were very behind on getting started this season.  Other SF teams had to deal with covid outbreaks and a lot of matches were canceled.   Luckily after we officially started practicing on January 15 we had one month to get ready for the AAA finals with a low-turnout squad and only half of the weight classes filled.  Even though the season was very modified, it was a great success as we had 100% of the wrestlers who came out finish the season and with the 7 weight classes we entered into the AAA finals we had 6 make it into the finals and 3 win AAA titles and qualify for state.  It was a Lincoln all-time record for state qualifiers.  Gabe Pena was the teams heavyweight and in addition to easily winning a AAA title and pinning all of his opponents in duals and the AAA finals he won the most outstanding upper weight award voted on by AAA coaches which also is a first in school history.   Gabe was the only senior on the team so a talent core part fo the squad will be returning next year.  Junior Deion Solis made it to the finals for the second time and won his first AAA title.  First-year wrestler and talented football player Hezekiah Davis made it into the finals and won a AAA title too as he quickly learned the sport of wrestling.   Rounding out the 6 finalists were runner-ups Freshmen Misael Munoz Lopez and Sid Villegas along with Junior Joseph Reising who lost in overtime.  Junior Mikael Bandaras was the teams 7th wrestler in the tournament who scored some points, won some matches in one of the bigger and tougher weights in the city and had a great overall season where he showed a lot of improvement.   Two other wrestlers were on the squad but in same weight classes as the other wrestlers.  With only one senior graduating and covid getting behind us we hope to be able to have a full and very competitive team next season.

Lincoln Staff Left to Right Coaches Vittorio Anastasio, Donny Bendo, Jose Cardoza, and Mike Frias

Lincoln Staff Left to Right
Coaches Vittorio Anastasio, Donny Bendo, Jose Cardoza, and Mike Frias