03.31.07
Driller trio ’step up’ for award
Driller trio ’step up’ for award
BY MASON KELLEY, Californian staff writer
e-mail: masonkelley@bakersfield.com | Friday, Mar 30 2007 11:50 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Mar 30 2007 11:56 PM
Everything started with one match.
Photos:
Photo by Photo Illustration by Ross Priest, Photos by Casey Christie/The Californian
Bakersfield High’s (L to R) Jonah Cruz, Travis Rasmussen and Nektoe Demison were named The Californian’s co-Wrestlers of the Year.
When sophomore Jonah Cruz shocked Arcata’s Trent Stevenson, who was ranked No. 1 in the state at 135 pounds, the rest of the Bakersfield High wrestlers seemed to get energized.
“(Cruz) just stepped up,” junior Travis Rasmussen said. “That was awesome. I was happy for him.”
Each wrestler who took the mat for the Drillers on the first day of the CIF State Wrestling Championships expected to win.
Four wrestlers qualified for the quarterfinals. Three of those advanced to the semifinals.
All three, Cruz, Rasmussen and Nektoe Demison, fell in the semis, but each one battled back for third place.
For their accomplishments, the trio shares the Californian’s All-Area Wrestler of the Year award.
“To be third in California is something to be proud of,” BHS coach Andy Varner said. “A couple of them have a shot next year at achieving that goal of being a state champion. I know they’re going to put in the work to be there.”
But before looking too far into the future, there’s still plenty of time to look back on this season, considering what the trio accomplished.
Demison, the lone senior of the group, became the first of the three to qualify for the semis. The 112-pound wrestler beat Brentwood-Liberty’s David Klingsheim in the quarterfinals. He then fell to Covina-South Hills’ Thomas Williams, who was ranked No. 1 in the state and went on to win a state title, in the match to reach the finals.
“Overall, it’s pretty exciting,” Demison said. “Going for third and fourth was my big thing.”
Cruz, provided one of the more memorable moments of the tournament when he beat Stevenson. But he followed that effort by constantly “bringing it.”
He provided a second moment when he left the mat and ran straight up to hug his mother following his victory over El Diamante’s David Watts for third place.
When you ask all three wrestlers about what set them apart, they all pointed to a need to “step up.”
They felt compelled to do well for the history of the program, their teammates and themselves.
“We thought we could get first this year,” Rasmussen said. “Everyone was stepping it up. Then when Frank lost, we all just knew we had to step up and win matches.”
Senior Frank Lomas entered the tournament with high expectations, but an ankle injury slowed him at state.
The third-place trio picked up the slack for their wounded teammate.
“I think with every win, we started to pick it up, pick it up,” Demison said.
Rasmussen was the final Driller to take third, beating Santa Ana’s Jose Navarro. The junior said Varner told the trio they would have to be “consolation kings” to fight back through the bracket.
They did.
“Looking back, I’m proud,” Varner said. “They did everything I asked them to do. They worked as hard as they possibly could.”
With Rasmussen and Cruz returning next year, the goals are even higher. Now that they’ve each claimed third place, they want a chance at a title.
“We’ve got a lot of people coming up, a lot of people coming back,” Cruz said. “That keeps the momentum going. It gives us something to work toward. We know we can be there.”
