Despite withdrawing from the San Francisco State Tournament this past weekend and only having one placer the previous weekend at the Meathead Movers Tournament in Cuesta, the banged up Renegade wrestling team is fortunate to find themselves sitting at 10th in the state.

The San Francisco State Tournament is not a California Community College tournament so there was nothing accounted against them, but with higher competition and scouts present, it was a risk pulling out.

The end of the year is the ultimate goal for Bakersfield, however.

The most recent taste of competition before heading into the final stages of the season for the Renegades was the Meathead Movers Tournament. The tournament was dominated by Palomar and Mt. SAC on Oct. 25, but BC still managed to place eighth as a team and the state’s first-ranked wrestler at 197, Bakersfield College’s Jack Murphy, walked away with yet another first-place finish.

“I really don’t think anyone can stop the guy [Murphy] honestly,” grappling coach Joe Espejo confidently stated.

Murphy and 125-pound Marcos Velasquez were presented with Jockey Club awards for their outstanding performances in the month of October on Oct. 27.

With their first place finishes and a Most Outstanding Wrestler award for Velasquez during the Mike Tamana Invitational in Modesto on Oct.11, both wrestlers were deservingly honored by Mike Stricker.

Renegade wrestling will finally host the conference tournament after spending the last month on the road here at BC on Nov. 15, perhaps by then having the expected guys ready and healthy to go.

“We got some guys that are injured, guys that are sick…so I think the guys will be ready and healed up by then,” Espejo said.