Tigers ready for second Rod Gaines Invitational
For the second weekend in a row, hundreds of wrestlers will descend on Tokay High to showcase their wrestling skills.
Fresh off hosting the Lady Tiger Classic, Tokay will host a boys tournament in the second-annual Rod Gaines Invitational at The Jungle.
According to Tokay coach Ed Carlos, Tokay's Carter Bozovich and Vacaville's Cole Chapman during their 160-pound match at last year’s Rod Gaines Invitational. Bozovich is one of many Tigers who will compete at the second annual edition of the tournament at The Jungle on Saturday. 19 high schools are taking part at the invitational. Three of those schools are the Tigers’ goes in the Tri-City Athletic League in Lincoln, St. Mary’s and Tracy. Five of the six schools from the San Joaquin Athletic Association — Bear Creek, Chavez, Franklin, McNair and Stagg — will also be taking to the mat.
The rest of schools converging inside The Jungle are Sheldon, Inderkum and Kennedy, all of Sacramento, Oakmont of Roseville, Lathrop, Venture Academy, Monte Vista of Danville, Yosemite of Oakhurst, Delhi and Vista del Lago of Folsom.
“We’re bigger this year and we’re excited,” Carlos said. “It’s a great fund-raiser.”
Some of the Tokay wrestlers ex-
pecting to compete at the double-elimination invitational are Seth Chaney (126pounds), Trenton Edalgo (145), Carter Bozovich (170) and Matt Cooper (195). All are seniors who have helped the Tigers to a 4-0 record in the TCAL and 4-0 overall; Tokay beat Calaveras in a non-league dual meet last month.
“We’ve got our seniors one last time,” Carlos said. “It means something to them to wrestle at home. They are really excited to wrestle in front of friends and family.”
Carlos plans to have a Tokay wrestler in all 14 weight classes. Some guys who have been competing on the varsity team during the season will sit out this weekend because they are facing the Sac-Joaquin Section’s bylaw of competing in 40 matches during the regular season, which includes league championships that will take place in early February.
“We have quite a few near 30,” Carlos said. “We will do our best to fill out every single weight class.”
This could be good news for some Tokay boys who have been competing on the junior varsity team this season. Carlos said that some of them could be moved up for this tournament.
The invitational is named after Rod Gaines, who was Tokay’s third wrestling coach in the program. Tokay High became Lodi’s second public high school when it opened its doors in the early 1970s.
“It’s synonyms with wrestling and hard work,” said Carlos of Gaines’ approach during his coaching tenure in the Tigers’ program.
The invitational will start at 9 a.m. Carlos said that the championships are projected to begin between 3 to 5 p.m.
Admission is $5 per person. The Jungle’s concession stand will be serving various food items, plus snacks, water and soda throughout the day.