Top sports moments: Esquivel earns D-1 scholarship; Trojans dominate

It was another banner year for the Orland High wrestling program, as in the team championship banner won at the Masters Tournament held in Redding in March.

Hermilo Esquivel (120 pounds), Christian Wathen (145), Tyler Gil (170) and Victor Raigoza (285) all captured individual championships, and the Trojans took 18th as a team in the CIF State Wrestling Championships in Bakersfield, while finishing second among small schools.

Esquivel showed that coming from a small school should not keep you from dreaming about the "bigtime," as in April he accepted a scholarship to wrestle for NCAA Division I Michigan State University.

'He is the best wrestler that I have had, and I also think he is the best all-around wrestler that has ever wrestled at Orland," coach Victor Perry said following Esquivel's signing of his letter of intent to wrestle for the Spartans.

Esquivel compiled a record of 157-11 during his four-year career, and set the school record for pins with 109, despite breaking his leg during his freshman year.

In addition, he was a two-time high school All-American, along with being a three-time Butte View League, Northern Section Division II and Masters champion.

Trojans winning Division II titles included Esquivel (122), Wathen (147), Gil (172), Raigoza (287), Hugo Punzo (108), Layne Embrey (115), Jimmy Gamboa (134), Justin Hill (154) and Fernando Infante (222).