STATE WRESTLING : Poway Takes an Early Lead but Needs Big Day Today

STOCKTON — Poway led the team standings after the first day of the state wrestling meet at the University of Pacific.

Poway had 47.5 points, followed by Clovis with 39.5 and Ukiah with 33.

Despite the lead, Poway Coach Wayne Branstetter said his team will need a “phenomenal” performance on the tournament’s final day to hold the lead. Semifinals begin today at 10 a.m. Championship matches start at 7 p.m.

Poway qualified 12 out of a possible 13 wrestlers for the meet, but only one reached the semifinals.

Tony Matteucci defeated Mike Davies of Liberty, 5-1, in the quarterfinals to advance.

“We’ve got six still alive, but the light is getting dimmer,” Branstetter said. “We just don’t have the superstar. We’ll have to have a phenomenal day to hold off Clovis and even Ukiah.

“We’re an above-average team, but you’ve got to have the horses.”

The coach said his team “started out real well” when seven wrestlers won first-round matches.

“But for some reason we lost our intensity,” he said.

Karl Kohler (112), David Koch (132) and Ross Funchess (175) won their first two matches but lost in the quarterfinals.