With the Bakersfield College Wrestling season nearing an end, the team is gearing up for the state championships.

In order to qualify for the state championships, wrestlers must place in the top six of their weight class at the Southern Regionals on Dec. 7.

Coach Bill Kalivas said seven members of the team have a good shot at qualifying for state. Those members are Josh Davis, Jonathan Gomez, Dillan Harroun, Jose Leandro, Arko Petrosyan, Max Ramirez, and Jawayne Fambrough.

“I think they’ve done well this year. They have been consistent throughout the season,” said Kalivas.

If these wrestlers were to make it to state, he said, “It’s difficult to see how they would do because it all depends on match-ups, but they have the ability to do well. All we ask is that they do their best.”

Kalivas explained that at the beginning of the year the team had a lot of athletes, but for certain reasons they had to be dismissed. “Since the team has gotten smaller, it’s difficult to keep consistent continuity,” he said.

Kavilas mentioned that Fresno City College is the team to watch at state because of its recent success the past few years. Part of the reason they have had good teams is because they don’t have to compete with other schools for wrestlers. “For us we have to compete with CSUB for local wrestlers which has caused us to look out of area for wrestlers which I don’t like to do,” he said. With three or four more wrestlers, he said this year’s team could have been better.

The state championship will be held on Dec. 13-14 at Delta College in Stockton.