Cael Valencia

[Idaho 805]

Wrestled 182 at Mid West Iron Man Duals this week... looks like his college projection for weight just went up. Very similar to Zahid who made the same type of jump in one summer.  

[Bronco 147]

Moved up 22 lbs from Junior year to Senior year?  From 160 to 182 lbs.  Yikes.  Have to wonder what they've been feeding that boy.

[uncle bernard 456]

7 minutes ago, Bronco said:

Moved up 22 lbs from Junior year to Senior year?  From 160 to 182 lbs.  Yikes.  Have to wonder what they've been feeding that boy.

Much like Zahid, he has a huge frame with a lot of room for muscle growth. Not surprising to see him get bigger. He was down at 145 his sophomore year, so this jump actually isn't that much bigger than that.

[Idaho 805]

1 hour ago, uncle bernard said:

Much like Zahid, he has a huge frame with a lot of room for muscle growth. Not surprising to see him get bigger. He was down at 145 his sophomore year, so this jump actually isn't that much bigger than that.

I would have to look it up but it is almost identical to Zahid from sophomore to senior. 

[pamela 1,334]

That's pretty crazy, people were saying earlier this year that his build resembled Anthony. Any updates on college?

[uncle bernard 456]

1 hour ago, Idaho said:

I would have to look it up but it is almost identical to Zahid from sophomore to senior. 

Zahid's was much bigger, from 113 to 182 sophomore to senior year. He went 103, 113, 132, 182 for his career. He was wrestling at 152 that spring and early summer before his huge jump, so that's probably what you're thinking.

Edited July 23, 2020 by uncle bernard

[Husker_Du 578]

Zahid went 132 - 182 in the span of a summer.

as noted above Cael was 160 and has a big frame. not surprising that he skipped a single weight class for a summer tourney.

he had an excellent weekend. 

[MSU158 1,547]

Yeah, with the limited amount of training available during the "Covid Cricis",  I wouldn't read too much into these kids wrestling quite a bit above their last competitive weight.  I would think they would be much more focused on getting some mat time vs. being at their ideal weight.  Plus, I would think it is much more difficult to maintain that weight without the normal training regimen.

[gobraves101905 70]

Right on track to fill the needs at at the top of ASU roster in a couple years. 

[Housebuye 2,157]

He is going to be very good at the next level. He didn’t get really good as quickly as his brothers, but that’s due to him not training as much. He has more recently chosen to focus on wrestling and went from a good wrestler who might place to a state champ. 
  
Sky is the limit for him. He might end up being really really good, like Zahid

[Idaho 805]

1 hour ago, Housebuye said:

He is going to be very good at the next level. He didn’t get really good as quickly as his brothers, but that’s due to him not training as much. He has more recently chosen to focus on wrestling and went from a good wrestler who might place to a state champ. 
  
Sky is the limit for him. He might end up being really really good, like Zahid

Agree....except for the state champ part. Since he’s not a state champ. 

[gobraves101905 70]

Like 2018 Zahid I hope. Pushed the pace in each match like I’ve never really seen. He was in the best shape that year. Broke guys in the first 3 minutes. 

[Housebuye 2,157]

16 hours ago, Idaho said:

Agree....except for the state champ part. Since he’s not a state champ. 

True

[Greatdane67 198]

Is ASU persona non grata with the Valencia family right now?

[Idaho 805]

1 hour ago, Greatdane67 said:

Is ASU persona non grata with the Valencia family right now?

Personally I don't think he lands there....but that's the unpopular opinion. 

[Downtown Brown 33]

I think he lands at PSU.

[nhs67 1,125]

12 hours ago, Downtown Brown said:

I think he lands at PSU.

Who is odd man out at PSU then?

Facundo coming in. Starocci at 174 right now.  Lee at 165.  Beard at 197.  Kerkvliet at 285.  Does Valencia go up to 285 after Kerk transfers again?

[Idaho 805]

1 hour ago, nhs67 said:

Who is odd man out at PSU then?

Facundo coming in. Starocci at 174 right now.  Lee at 165.  Beard at 197.  Kerkvliet at 285.  Does Valencia go up to 285 after Kerk transfers again?

Add Brooks and it's crowded at the top. I'm not saying he will land at Oregon State (yes OSU homer talk)...but... I can make a pretty good argument....CP coached the Valencias, longstanding relationship with family, immediate starter at OSU, up and coming RTC with CP and Engle, gets to work out with IMAR and CP. Not saying he does land there, but I can see them being a darkhorse.  And....Calgrappler has OSU listed as a top 4 possibility. 

[ShakaAloha 120]

On 7/25/2020 at 10:01 AM, Idaho said:

Agree....except for the state champ part. Since he’s not a state champ. 

Question: how is Cael so highly regarded when he can't win his own state championship??

4 hours ago, Idaho said:

Add Brooks and it's crowded at the top. 

I think he left Brooks out because no one is taking Brooks' spot.

[Idaho 805]

1 minute ago, ShakaAloha said:

Question: how is Cael so highly regarded when he can't win his own state championship??

I think he left Brooks out because no one is taking Brooks' spot.

He lost to Abas by a point in the finals his sophomore year. Understandable. He was upset in the finals this year by a kid he beat the week before. I don’t have an answer for that. He has had some pretty good performances on a national level   I don’t think he fits in at PSU. Overrated? My opinion is a tad bit but not very much. 

[ShakaAloha 120]

4 minutes ago, Idaho said:

He lost to Abas by a point in the finals his sophomore year. Understandable. He was upset in the finals this year by a kid he beat the week before. I don’t have an answer for that. He has had some pretty good performances on a national level   I don’t think he fits in at PSU. Overrated? My opinion is a tad bit but not very much. 

Isn't a lot of his hype due to him being the younger brother of a 2x NCAA champ?  If you didn't know who he was and just watched his film, would you still have him as the top recruit in his weight when he is a 0x state champ from CA?  If he wasn't Zahid's little bro, his offer list would look more like Sonny Santiago's or Jace Luchau's IMO.  

[Return of Aztec 20]

4 hours ago, Idaho said:

He was upset in the finals this year by a kid he beat the week before. I don’t have an answer for that.

That kid – Andrew Sparks – was one of my favorite stories in California this past year. From what I understand, the first time he stepped on a wrestling mat was his freshman year of high school. 

I'm not sure how many times they had wrestled each other previously, but at the very least:

He lost to Cael 6-5 in the semis of the Doc Buchanan (Cael went on to win in the finals, Andrew took 3rd).

He lost to him 5-1 the week before state at the Southern Section Masters tournament (state qualifier).

Then he totally controlled the state finals and beat him 7-1 (YouTube video of finals).

Edited July 27, 2020 by Return of Aztec

[Idaho 805]

1 hour ago, Return of Aztec said:

That kid – Andrew Sparks – was one of my favorite stories in California this past year. From what I understand, the first time he stepped on a wrestling mat was his freshman year of high school. 

I'm not sure how many times they had wrestled each other previously, but at the very least:

He lost to Cael 6-5 in the semis of the Doc Buchanan (Cael went on to win in the finals, Andrew took 3rd).

He lost to him 5-1 the week before state at the Southern Section Masters tournament (state qualifier).

Then he totally controlled the state finals and beat him 7-1 (YouTube video of finals).

I agree it was a great story! 

[hammerlockthree 2,045]

How badly can he beat anthony by now?

[gobraves101905 70]

11 hours ago, Idaho said:

Add Brooks and it's crowded at the top. I'm not saying he will land at Oregon State (yes OSU homer talk)...but... I can make a pretty good argument....CP coached the Valencias, longstanding relationship with family, immediate starter at OSU, up and coming RTC with CP and Engle, gets to work out with IMAR and CP. Not saying he does land there, but I can see them being a darkhorse.  And....Calgrappler has OSU listed as a top 4 possibility. 

I wouldn’t call OSU a dark horse. I could with ease make a case for them as a firm #2 behind ASU.  But with Zahid staying in Tempe, I can’t think of any good reasons for him to go anywhere else.