PRESCOTT, AZ – Menlo Men's Wrestling sent 27 Oaks between the Main squad and the Oak Squad to compete in the Embry-Riddle University (AZ) Mile High Open on Saturday. Four Oaks walked away placing in the top 4 with Seth Borba (165) and Emitt Mercado (HWT) each taking their weight class championship titles! 

 

Oak Placers:

Seth Borba (165) - 1st Place Champion

The junior from Oakdale, California had another spectacular 2023 tournament showing, this time in Prescott, Arizona. Borba began the day with 3 back-to back- pins against Vincent Buquicchio (Ottawa University) and Andres Grano (New Mexico Highlands) to advance to the semifinals. Timothy Cowan (Cal Baptist) was no easy battle and the two went through all three rounds to end in a 8-1 decision in favor of Seth. In the Championship match Borba faced off #7 ranked Keller Rock (Embry-Riddle AZ). Within the first 30 seconds of the match Seth earned his 4th pin of the day, this time against a ranked opponent! After going 5-0 Seth Borba earned the 165 Championship title for his first tournament win of the season.   

 

Emitt Mercado (HWT) - 1st Place Champion

Emitt Mercado earned his first tournament title in his first season as an Oak. A first round bye would send Mercado against Dylan White (Doane) where they wrestled all three rounds to end in a 5-1 decision in favor of the Oak. Another 5-1 victory punched his ticket to the Semifinals against Zion Longsine (Arizona Christian). The match was low scoring and competitive going through all three rounds again. Emitt would take the win by decision by a score of 3-2. The championship match ended in a forfeit to secure Emitt's HWT-Championship title!   

 

Jesse Gaytan (133) - 4th Place

The Greco All-American placed 4th after going 4-2 on the day against some of the highest competition in the entire tournament. A win by decision (10-4) over Allan Hendricks (Embry-Riddle AZ) and back-to-back tech falls by the score of 21-5 over Isaiah Marquez (Arizona Christian) and Julius Kohn (New Mexico Highlands) would send Gaytan to the semifinal round. A DI matchup (Cal Baptist) would send Jesse to wrestle backs where he would make it to the 3rd place match with a tech fall (22-7) over Kasey Curtis (Snow College). Jesse Gaytan would end the day a 4th place finisher in his second tournament appearance of the season.    

 

Ledger Petracek (174) - 4th Place

Petracek finished the day with a record of 5-2 to take 4th place at 174. Back-to-back pins against Holden Kelly (Grand Canyon University) and Anthony Tossie (Ottawa University) would send Ledger to wrestle DI opponent Justin Philips (Cal Baptist). The match ended in a 8-9 decision in favor of Philips to send Petracek to wrestle backs. Another pair of pins granted one more match to stay alive and go against Benson Henderson in the consolation semifinals. There, Ledger won by tech fall with a score of 23-5. This is only Ledger Petracek's second tournament appearance for the Oaks and has placed in both!  

 

Up Next….

Menlo Men's Wrestling heads to Bakersfield, California to compete in the Roadrunner Open hosted by CSU Bakersfield on Sunday November 19th! This tournament will feature many DI, DII, and top NAIA competition!