SLAM wrestling standouts sign with Arizona State, Oregon State
SLAM Academy’s wrestling program has enjoyed its share of success in recent years. Those victories have led to some accomplishments outside of competition.
The school announced last week that seniors Gabriel Delgado and Manuel Saldate had signed to wrestle at the collegiate level. Delgado will be heading to Arizona State, where he will join fellow Southern Nevadan Melvin Whitehead from Liberty High. Saldate will attend Oregon State.
Bulls coach Jake Rollans, whose program appears destined for a fourth consecutive state title, said both wrestlers earned their scholarships.
Two-time defending state champion Delgado competes in the 165-pound weight class.
“He has been on my youth team since he was 6,” Rollans said. “He’s been incredibly athletic and tough, but there were times when he would falter. This year is different. He’s beating guys he’s supposed to beat and he’s beating guys he’s not supposed to beat, and Arizona State noticed that.”
Saldate, who has worked with Rollans since he was 4-years-old, is a three-time defending state champion. The 138-pound wrestler has been ranked as high as No. 4 nationally this season.
“He’s just tough,” Rollans said. “While Gabriel is slick, Manny is tough. He’s always moving forward and coming after you. He’s placed in every tournament but one since he was a freshman, and our schedule is one of the toughest in the country.”
Rollans said he was overwhelmed when he learned of the collegiate offers.
“It was so exciting I started crying,” he said. “That was the goal when we took over here, to get these kids into college.”
SLAM is Nevada’s top-ranked team, followed by Liberty, McQueen and Moapa Valley.
Bowling
Centennial senior Tyler Castronova continues to lead the way in 5A bowling with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. His 218 average is three pins better than second-ranked Jerrad Barczyszyn of Shadow Ridge.
Bulldogs coach Mark Lilley said Castronova’s academic success is leading to success on the lanes.
“He’s a great student, and sometimes that carries over into a player’s game,” said Lilley, who has coached two boys and two girls state championship teams. “He knows how to apply his knowledge and he has the desire to do better. He sets goals and he tries to achieve them.”
Castronova has stepped away from private coaching and competition this season, as he has chosen to focus on his academics. But that hasn’t slowed him a bit at the high school level.
“I feel like I haven’t really lost the skill,” said Castronova, who will be studying chemical engineering at the University of Dayton (Ohio) next year. “It’s always there. I just need to focus.”
Though Centennial’s girls team is a championship longshot this season, the boys are ranked No. 1. Castronova wants to end his high school career with a state championship.
“I’d say I have a pretty good chance right now,” Castronova said. “I’ve made the finals twice before. I just need to make sure I stay in the right mindset. And I’m pretty much the team leader, so I just need to make sure the other bowlers are where they need to be and that they play their own game.”
Lilley likes his team’s chances, but warned nothing is guaranteed.
“The competition is really tough this season,” he said. “We’re in first place but we’re not there yet. We’re good enough, but will we be good enough (in the state tournament)?”
Castronova and teammate Tru Hervey led Centennial to a 7-2 victory over Desert Oasis on Thursday to retain the top spot in the 5A rankings. Palo Verde, Shadow Ridge, Desert Oasis and Liberty round out the top five.
In 5A girls action, Palo Verde is No. 1 in the rankings, followed by Coronado, Desert Oasis, Silverado and Shadow Ridge.
Flag football
Three Coronado players have been selected to represent the AFC in the inaugural NFL Flag High School Girls Showcase, which will be held Feb. 2 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Cougars seniors Tielua Baptista (LB), Sykiya Tatum (DB) and MaryLou Tsunis (DB) will represent Nevada in a game featuring players from 10 states.
Action starts at 10 a.m. and will air live on ESPN.
Girls soccer
Liberty girls soccer forward Ayva Jordan committed to Tennessee last week.
Jordan led the Patriots to a runner-up finish in the 5A state tournament and was named the 5A player of the year.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
