Prescott, AZ – Menlo Men's Wrestling headed to Prescott, AZ in order to participate In the ERAU Mile High Open. The Oaks ended the tournament taking fourth as a team with 154.5 team points and placed 9 placers with 2 placers ending up in the finals.
 
Menlo's Placements
125 - At 125 pounds, Elijah Valencia and Ethan Guillermo delivered standout performances. Guillermo opened his day with a dominant pin, followed by a solid 12-6 decision victory to advance to the semifinals. Valencia started strong as well, securing a 17-3 major decision in his opening match and benefiting from a medical forfeit in the quarterfinals to move into the semis. Despite their impressive starts, both Valencia and Guillermo faced tough challenges in the semifinals, falling to opponents from Embry-Riddle. On the consolation side, Guillermo rebounded with another pin, while Valencia also notched a victory. By the end of the day, Valencia claimed 3rd place, with Guillermo right behind him in 4th, capping off a strong showing for both wrestlers.
 
141 - Logan Avina-Barajas was one of two Oaks to reach the finals. He kicked off his tournament with a pin in under three minutes to advance to the quarterfinals, where he emerged victorious in an intense 4-1 sudden victory bout. Avina-Barajas then dominated his semifinal match, earning a 10-1 major decision to secure his spot in the finals. Despite his impressive run, he fell in the championship match, finishing as the runner-up at 141 lbs.
 
157 – Ezekiel Lara showcased his skills with two dominant 18-0 tech falls in his first matches of the day. Although he dropped his quarterfinal bout, Lara rebounded with two strong wins in the consolation bracket to finish in 4th place.
 
174 – Ledger Petracek earned 4th place after an action-packed tournament. He opened with back-to-back pins but suffered a setback in the quarterfinals. Undeterred, Petracek fought back with two more falls and a decision victory on the consolation side to round out his performance.
 
184 - Maximus Zamora is the other finalist that the Oaks had on the day. In his first three bouts, Zamora would earn two pins, and a 18-1 tech fall to get into the semifinals. In his semi's bout, Zamora's offense was on full display as he would earn a dominant 8-1 victory to earn his trip to the finals. Despite having a lethal offense the entire tournament, Zamora would end up falling in the finals, earning 2^nd. Scott Beadles would make his collegiate debut with an impressive start. Beadles would earn a pin in his first ever match, then would earn a 7-3 decision to get into the semis. After dropping his semifinal bout, the freshman would show resilience earning 15-12 sudden victory win to earn 4^th.
 
197 - Freshman Diego Morales continued his impressive season with a 3rd-place finish. Morales opened the tournament with a pin and a 23-3 tech fall to reach the semifinals. Though he fell in the semis, he rebounded with a pin in his next match to secure his spot on the podium.

285 – Jakob Connors was the final Oak to place in the tournament. Connors would earn a pin in less than a minute to get into the semis. Connors drop his semis bout but would earn a fall in his next match to earn 4^th place.
 
The Oaks showcased determination throughout the whole tournament, with standout performances across each weight class. With a strong showing both veterans and freshman, the Oaks have shown they are a force to be reckoned with on the mat.
 
Up Next…
The Oaks will head to Bakersfield, CA in order to participate in the Roadrunner Open on November 24^th at 9AM PST. Be sure to use menloathletics.com for livestream, live stat, and ticket links to follow along!