ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Over the weekend, high school wrestlers gathered to compete in one of the largest tournaments in all of Northern California, the 29th Annual Tim Brown Memorial Tournament.

This two-day tournament is held in the Memorial Auditorium in Downtown Sacramento. There were 725 wrestlers from 90 schools that traveled to compete in this tournament. Some schools even traveled from Oregon and Nevada.                                

The tournament was hosted by Foothill High School and named after Lance Corporal Timothy W. Brown, who had attended Foothill High School and wrestled. Brown had served in the Marines but was sadly killed in Iraq in 2006.                    

This tournament serves as a remembrance for the sacrifices that he made. It attracts top high school wrestlers and programs, serving as a glimpse of what the state tournament is like later in the postseason, where there will only be one state champion.      

 

Balcony seats provide a bird's-eye view of the matches at Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento.

Delta League schools in this tournament included Elk Grove, Franklin, Cosumnes Oaks and Pleasant Grove. And although Elk Grove and Franklin are the stronger wrestling teams in the Delta League, Pleasant Grove has been leaving a mark throughout the year.                                    

“We had a record number of wrestlers going to day two, which was a total of nine,” said Head Coach Jay Viodes.                      

This showed their growth in being able to qualify most of the team to day two and in the top half of each wrestler’s bracket. Senior wrestler Kavon Lloyd finished in the top 12 for his weight class.                             

Although the team had a slow start at the beginning of the tournament, each wrestler was able to calm any sort of nerves to settle in. They know that the time they spend in practice gets them prepared for high level tournaments like Tim Brown. 

“It’s pretty much tougher than our section meets, so it’s a good measuring stick at this time in the season for us getting closer to the postseason,” said Coach Viodes on the level of competition at this tournament.              

 

Jonathan Basco does anything he can to escape.

The Eagles prior to competing in the Tim Brown tournament had taken first as a team in the Rocklin Duals, Granite Bay Wrestling Tournament and Concord’s Contest of Champions. They also placed third as a team at the Dow Lewis Memorial-Battle of The Buttes.  

Pleasant Grove will finish out the season with league duals as well as a couple of more tournaments before going into the postseason that starts with the League Championships.