SAN FRANCISCO, CA. – In one of the major tournaments of his college career, Cal State Bakersfield freshman Mark Cardwell brought home a California Collegiate Open title at 197-pounds.
Cardwell won four matches in the tournament, taking out Simpson’s College Jacob Gonsalves by a fall in the semifinals and blanking out Cal Baptist athlete Arick Lopez 6-0 in the finals.
Cardwell earned takedowns in the first and second period of the finals and earn riding time to win 6-0. In the four matches Cardwell competed, he recorded two falls and a major decision to outscore the competition 26-0.
The California Collegiate Open, held annually on January 25 in San Francisco, California, is one of the most prestigious midseason wrestling tournaments in California.
Cardwell made history at Monache by becoming the school’s first-ever four-time state qualifier for coach Arthur Demerath. Listing off Cardwell’s other accomplishments throughout the years, Cardwell never lost a dual meet for Monache, was a four-time East Yosemite League champion, two-time National High School Coaches Association All-American, a two-time Masters runner-up, and a Yosemite Division champion.
As a high school senior, Cardwell completed the year with a 51-7 record to stand on the state championship podium two years in a row. Cardwell will be challenging room to get the opportunity to become the Roadrunner’s varsity wrestler at either 184 or 197 pounds.