Masters of the mat

Few sensations can ever compare to walking through the tunnel and onto the floor at Rabo Bank Arena.

There's the noise, the endless sea of mats, the sheer amount of people. But most of all there's that feeling of pride that shoots through a prep wrestler's body. Passing though that tunnel means they've arrived. That all those days spent cutting weight, going through gauntlets at weekend tournaments and toiling though league have paid the ultimate dividend.

"For a kid, there's nothing like it in California," Sutter coach Ryan Reynolds said. "It's like the pinnacle of all sports."

That arena in Bakersfield, the site of the CIF state wrestling tournament, is the ultimate destination for those who spend their winter in singlets. Many never even come close to making it.

Anthony Vega's been there twice. Austin Morehead, three times.

The two seniors wrapped up their high school careers with the trip south. Morehead nearly took the entire thing, finishing fourth in his 189-pound weight class. Vega (145) made the second day and just missing becoming a medalist.

For their accomplishments, Morehead and Vega are the Appeal-Democrat's heavy and lightweight wrestlers of the year, respectively.

From first glance, they're completely different. Morehead's from Sutter and nearly 50 pounds heavier. Vega hails from Lindhurst and keeps his strength in a far more compact package than his sprawling counterpart.

Then come the similarities. They're both football standouts. Their coaches use superlatives to describe them. They foreshadowed their greatness in eighth grade and spent their youth practicing by brawling with their brothers. They're leaders, well disciplined and, if Morehead decides to stay local, will be teammates next year at Sacramento City College.

"Just a natural wrestler," said Blazers coach Rob Taylor about Vega, though Reynolds practically uttered the same sentence when describing his star pupil.

Morehead's path to becoming one of the Golden State's most lustrous competitors began at an age when kids are worrying more about grasping long division than grappling. Joining the team at Franklin Elementary in fourth grade, the seed was planted.

At that age Vega thought wrestling was what he saw on television, that to beat your opponent you had to perform a signature move before going for the pin. And that's exactly what he and his twin brother Angel did, emulating their favorite performer, "The Rock," while taking turns slamming each other into their parents' couch.

Years later those moves became real takedowns, with sibling vs. sibling becoming a daily routine. Furniture would be pushed to the corners, making the living room a makeshift mat.

"They'd come in with rug burn on their faces, elbows and knees," Taylor said. "We'd just be sitting there laughing."

Over in Sutter County, Kyle Morehead, 14-months Austin's senior, had to fend off younger bros' best advances.

"We were always wrestling trying to prove who's better," Austin Morehead said.

Both Reynolds and Taylor knew they were about to inherit something special when they saw Morehead and Vega in middle school.

Each looked the part of a future state qualifier, the type of wrestler they would toss around their peers, easily win the massive multi-team tournaments — like both did this year — and walk though that tunnel at state wearing Lindhurst red and Sutter blue.

"There's no question he had everything a coach looks for," Reynolds said of Morehead. "Tremendous work ethic, tremendous ability, and that desire to get better and better."

And that's exactly what the duo did. Morehead and Vega realized their sophomore year they were something special. When they, as Vega said, "went straight into wrestling mode."

That was Morehead's first time qualifying for state. Two trips later, not much, except finishing higher and higher, has changed.

"I'm just smiling the whole time through my first match every year," he said.

The end didn't bring about the same feelings of jubilation. Morehead wanted to come back to the Mid-Valley with the title of being the best and Vega wanted to make a medal of his own.

Though it didn't happen, there is hardly any regret. The only emotion this duo, and their coaches are feeling is a tinge of sadness. After four unforgettable years, it's over.

"I'm going to miss him and he knows it," Reynolds said.

The Area's Best:

*103*

1. Ryan Corbin, Sutter

2. Orlando Lalacios, Live Oak

*112*

1. Angelo Santos, Wheatland

2. Kang Lee, Live Oak

*119*

1. Trevor Mantz, Wheatland

2. Bryce Cooper, River Valley

*125*

1. Ashley Taylor, Lindhurst

2. Spencer Malugani, Sutter

*130*

1. Ben Gacayan, Sutter

2. Cody Sapp, River Valley

*135*

1. Adam Blank, River Valley

2. Jesus Quintero, Lindhurst

*140*

1. Anthony Vega, Lindhurst

2. Justin Gildemeister, Sutter

*145*

1. Gabe Bettancourt, River Valley

2. Angel Vega, Lindhurst

*152*

1. Grant Higgins, River Valley

2. Cruz Perez, Lindhurst

*160*

1. Dakota Sisk, Gridley

2. Christian Magenheimer, River Valley

*171*

1. Reid Pelfrey, Live Oak

2. Brock Heil, Yuba City

*189*

1. Austin Morehead, Sutter

2. Casey Magenheimer, River Valley

*215*

1. James George, Lindhurst

2. Nate Livingston, Wheatland

*289*

1. Ben Alvarez, Lindhurst

2. Bryce Melani, Sutter