Shawn Jansen: CCCs -- Champion's Quest

Chopper Mello calls it the tightest conference race in his 13 years as the Golden Valley wrestling coach.

It's hard to argue with him.

Four teams enter the Central California Conference tournament today with a shot at coming away with a conference championship.

It should make for a fun day for fans.

For coaches, it will be a day of nailbiting and upset stomachs.

The CCC tournament is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. at Turlock High with the finals expected to begin at 5 p.m.

"I always get real nervous for this tournament," Mello said. "For me, it comes down to our kids performing up to their level. We want to win the matches we're supposed to win.

"We don't want to get upset. I don't like the unpredictability of this tournament. I almost feel more comfortable when we get to divisionals because other leagues aren't as strong as ours."

Golden Valley and Buhach Colony come into the tournament with the easiest path to the CCC championship.

The two teams finished the dual season tied atop the CCC standings at 5-1.

Each team is awarded one point for each dual win, giving Golden Valley and Buhach Colony five points.

Los Banos and Pitman both tied for second place and have four points.

For each team you finish above during the CCC tournament, you are also awarded one point. So the tournament champion will receive six points.

Without making it too complicated, GV or BC could win the title outright by winning the tournament.

Either team could also win at least a co-championship with a second-place finish if the other doesn't win the tournament.

There are also scenarios that could result in Los Banos or Pitman winning the championship if Golden Valley and Buhach Colony stumble.

"It's been really, really close," Buhach Colony coach Eric Osmer said. "It's been fun. Against Turlock and Los Banos, we were tied going into the last match. Against Pitman we were behind by one point.

"We pulled out each match, but they were super exciting. The years we blew people out was fun, too. But this is exciting. It makes you feel like you accomplished something."

Wrestling is a unique sport in that it changes from a team sport to an individual sport late in the season.

Not only are wrestlers trying to help their team win a title, but they also have to worry about themselves.

Wrestlers have to finish in the top four today to advance to next week's Sac-Joaquin Section Division I South Divisional championship.

Not only is it stressful on wrestlers, but coaches have to decide if they put a wrestler in the best weight class for the individual or the team.

"I think Golden Valley, Buhach Colony and Los Banos will put a lot on the team emphasis still this week," Mello said. "We're not letting go of the team thing. We've still got goals that we set for ourselves that we want to accomplish."

There are going to be a lot of weight classes up for grabs.

There are only about four or five wrestlers who are head and shoulders above the rest of the competitors in their weight class, which leaves eight or nine titles up in the air.

With the team race expected to be close, every match will be important.

"With so much parity in the league, it's going to come down to who can motivate their kids to do their best in the end," Osmer said. "All of us have our three or four guys who could win. It's about who can bring the most guts.

"Every time we step on the mat it's going to be important because we need those points.

"It looks like the points are going to be divided up pretty evenly throughout the teams. It could come down to those lower-seeded guys that place higher than expected."

Let the fun begin.

Shawn Jansen is a Sun-Star sports reporter. He can be reached at 385-2462 or via e-mail at sjansen@mercedsun-star.com.