Gonzalez and Huerta tussled, slammed each other down, never losing their tight grip while baiting one another, attempting to take the upper hand until the referee smacked the mat with her hand, ending the match 29 seconds after it began — signaling Gonzalez the victor.
It was just one of 15 championship boys matches at the Grapefruit Bowl at Sharyland Pioneer that pitted 33 schools in 15 weight classes with more than 500 matches at the event.
“It’s one of the bigger tournaments that I have participated in the Valley,” Gonzalez (34-2) said. “It’s still just an everyday thing.”
Although the valiant Huerta (32-11) fell at home, the Diamondbacks were successful in winning the tournament overall with a score of 491 points.
Trailing Sharyland Pioneer was Los Fresnos in second place with 467 points. Edinburg High was third with 423 points, Edcouch-Elsa fourth with 404 points and Corpus Christi Ray fifth with 394 points.
Finishing first for the Diamondbacks were Angel Avila (126 pounds) and Ethan Garza (220 pounds). Nathan Vazquez (138 pounds) finished third.
Both Gonzalez and Huerta waited more than three hours to lock horns in the final at the tournament that simulated a regionals and state competition atmosphere.
“I think it’s a really good tournament, it brings everyone together, my team together, everyone worked up and has everyone thinking this is the whole Valley tournament and everyone is here having fun,” Huerta said.
To reach the final, Huerta defeated PSJA North’s George Escalante, Valley View’s Eivar Almanza and Edinburg High’s Efren Diaz.
“He (Huerta) has really turned it on his senior year and he wants to be great his senior year and have a good senior season,” Sharyland Pioneer head coach Richard Eckley said. “From attitude to effort to leadership he has been a completely different kid in all the right ways this year as opposed to last year and I’m glad it’s showing on the mat and it’s a good example for our younger kids.”
Gonzalez defeated San Benito’s Manuel Jaime, Corpus Christi Ray’s Caleb Cruz and PSJA High’s Haven Garcia to reach the final.
“He (Gonzalez) has always been performing at a high level,” La Joya High head coach Rudy Cavazos said. “He likes to throw; he likes to do all these crazy moves.”
And in the final, Gonzalez made some fake stutter steps catching Huerta unbalanced as they moved around the mat locked in a violent motion.
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