A New Year’s reflection: where we’ve been, who’s stood with us, and the legacy we carry onto the mat. On Thursday night, under the bright lights of our first home dual of the season, we honored exactly that. We celebrated our senior grapplers, Marley Oh, Kirian Gracie, and Gabe Van Houten, whose final home walk reminded us that every match is about more than just the scoreboard. We were also deeply honored to welcome the family of Amin Noroozi, walking in his memory, a powerful reminder that this program wrestles with heart, friendship, and love for those who leave us physically but are never forgotten.
Once the whistle blew, the New Year mentality kicked in; no backing up, no backing down. The mat was electric as we edged Ygnacio Valley 41–39, with the dual hanging in the balance until the final bout. Clutch wins came from Logan Houston Jr., Kirian Gracie Sr., Dillon Sinha (So), Rayn Crane Jr., and Duncan Kinsey, proving that pressure makes diamonds. We rolled that momentum straight into our second dual, dominating Mt. Diablo 60–18, with strong performances from Ryan Crane and Kirian Gracie against a gritty opponent.
The grind didn’t start or stop there. Over the break, both varsity squads took on the Contest of Champions at Concord High, where Lilah Kring (So) battled her way to a 4th-place finish. This weekend, the girls stepped onto one of the biggest stages in the state at the Napa Valley Girls Classic, the oldest girls’ tournament in California, with 174 teams and over 900 competitors. Lilah punched her ticket to Day 2, showing she belongs among the best.
Meanwhile, the varsity boys hit the Kermit Bankston Invitational at Albany High, where Marley Oh rebounded from an early setback to go 4–1 and claim the consolation championship, a true testament to resilience. The JV boys and remaining girls brought the heat at the Red Devil Scuffle at Mt. Diablo High, with podium finishes from Aidan Burley (Fr) 1st, Nick Hammons (Fr) 1st, Dillon Sinha (So) 2nd, Landon Paige (So) 2nd, Noah Anderson (So) 3rd, Jill Pierce (Jr) 3rd, Gwyneth Lee (Jr) 3rd, and Austin Stevenson (Fr) and Sebastian (Fro) locking in a 4th place finishes. We are starting strong, 2026!
