Bosco's Aaron Pico is wrestling champ

BELLFLOWER - Freshman Aaron Pico of St. John Bosco High School is the 2013 California High School state wrestling champion at 132 pounds.Pico finished his impressive season with a perfect record of 42-0. Aaron Pico was also the Trinity League champion, C.I.F. champion and Master's meet champion en route to becoming a state champion. Pico defeated Paul Fox of Gilroy 14-3 to claim his first title. Aaron Pico was nothing less than dominant in his run to the championship. Pico defeated Ralphy Tovar of Poway by the same 14-3 score in the semifinal round to advance to the final. Pico's smallest margin of victory at the state tournament was eleven points and those victories were in the semifinal and final, respectively. Zahid and Anthony Valencia of St. John Bosco, the freshmen brothers who won last year's state titles at 106 and 126 respectively, placed third at 113 and second at 145 this year. Zahid Valencia lost in the semifinal round 3-2 to Sean Williams of Lemoore and rebounded against Sergio Mendez 8-7 of San Fernando and Khristian Olivas 13-4 of Clovis to take third place. Zahid Valencia (92-1) suffered the first loss of his high school prep career as a result of that match against Williams of Lemoore. Anthony Valencia lost in the final to Corona Santiago's Christian Pagdilao 5-3 on two takedowns (four points) in the second and third periods. Ironically, Valencia beat Pagdilao a week earlier at the Master's meet 10-3 to claim the Master's meet title. Both Valencia brothers are determined and will continue to work hard to refocus their efforts on winning state titles next year as juniors. St. John Bosco's sophomore standout Joseph Dominguez (126) just missed placing at the state meet after finishing second at both the C.I.F. and Master's meets the previous two weeks.

********** Published: March 7, 2013 - Volume 11 - Issue 47