Creighton ‘just another wrestler’ at Palo Alto High

Cade Creighton blends in on the Palo Alto High campus. He’s just one of thousands of students going about their routines, attending classes, lunching with friends and shooting the breeze in the hallways.

Get him on a wrestling mat, though, and he stands out. Not only is he a gifted athlete, his father Braumon Creighton is a world-renowned coach (who has coached at Palo Alto) who threw him into the mix at a young age and against older wrestlers.

“My dad coached at JLS and he threw me in there,” Creighton said. “I’ve always wrestled at a higher level. Sometimes I go over to Stanford and wrestle some of the backups. It helps me stay ahead.”

Creighton was one of four Palo Alto wrestlers who recorded a pin Thursday night in the Vikings 49-24 Santa Clara Valley Athletic League victory over host Gunn. Sacha Williams, Adar Schwarzbach and Dean Hall also pinned their opponents.

Along with Dara Heydarpour, Schwarzbach and Creighton have won a combined four tournament titles this year and all have eyes on the Central Coast Section tournament next month. They’re heading to the Mid-Cals, a major event in Gilroy, this weekend.

“They are good partners in the wrestling room and they work out together after practice and during the offseason,” Palo Alto coach Jon Kessler said. “They have goals in mind and are working to put themselves in position to accomplish them.”

Creighton, who wrestles at 160 pounds, finished fourth at the CCS tournament last year as a freshman.

“And that was coming back from an injury,” Kessler said. “From start to finish his technique is sound. He keeps working at it and it shows.”

He’s looking to win a CCS title this time around and sharing that goal with his teammates creates a support group.

“It’s like there are two different chapters,” Creighton said. “Here I have my own coach and I’m just a high school wrestler. It gives me a sense of being normal.”

Creighton wrestles year-round and has competed with state club teams in California and Nebraska and travels to international events. He competed in Japan over the summer.

Wrestling for Palo Alto helps him draw the attention of college coaches and aids in making connections.

The Vikings’ next SCVAL dual meet is Thursday, Jan. 30 against visiting Wilcox at 6:30 p.m. Gunn travels to Wilcox next Thursday.