2006-07 San Diego Section
Wrestlers to Watch

San Diego Section Division Finals

Wrestling elite prepare for monster that is Masters

Posted Feb. 22, 2007
The top 24 wrestlers in each of 14 weight classes will gather this weekend at San Ysidro High School as the road to the state championship tournament reaches a crossroad. The top four finishers in each weight division will advance to the state tournament; the remainder will be consumed by the monster that is otherwise known as the San Diego Section Masters championship tournament.

Competition gets underway Friday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. and continues Saturday, Feb. 24, at 9 a.m. Finals are scheduled Saturday, Feb. 24, at 5:30 p.m.

East County mat men claim four CIF titles
The Grossmont Conference once again will be well represented at the Masters tournament, with four division champions and 13 divisional finalists taking the mat.

The top eight wrestlers in each weight class qualified from last Saturday’s Division I tournament , with the top six wrestlers from both the Division II and Division III tournament advancing as well as the top four wrestlers from the Division IV tournament.

Granite Hills competed at the Division I tournament at Otay Ranch High School. Grossmont, Helix and West Hills competed at the Division II tournament at Mira Mesa High School. El Cajon Valley, El Capitan, Mt. Miguel, Monte Vista, Steele Canyon and Valhalla competed at the Division III at Ramona High School while Santana competed at the Division IV tournament at Valley Center High School.

Grossmont Conference wrestlers had a chance to shine at the Division II finals with six grapplers advancing to championship-round matches. Five East County mat men qualified for finals matches at the Division III tourney while the Division IV field featured two Grossmont Conference finalists.

Valhalla’s Landon Holmes (112), Helix’s Stephen Alvarez (135), Santana’s Billy Tyler (145) and Valhala’s Chris Thomas (189) led the parade of 58 medalists with first-place finishes at their respective divisional tournaments.

Finalists included Grossmont’s Gianni Battaglia (112) and Valentin Cuevas (119), Helix’s Victor Richmond (140), West Hills’s Nick Gilchriest (152) and John Degurski (160), Steele Canyon’s Caleb Cardenas (119) and J.B. Graff (152), Monte Vista’s Chris Eade (171) and Santana’s Brent Wilson (103).

There were 10 additional third-place medalists: Helix’s Robert Burton (119), Grossmont’s Yousuf Wahid (152) and John Flint (285), Valhalla’s Renzo Salazar (130), Steele Canyon’s Connor Hanten (145) and Garret Estevane (160), El Capitan’s Philip Kelly (171), Monte Vista’s Lonnie Alexander (152) and Norberto Cadena (285) and Santana’s Tim Sherlock (130).

Steele Canyon proved its first place team finish at this year’s Grossmont Conference championship tournament was no fluke after placing third at the Division III finals ahead of Monte Vista (fourth) and Valhalla (sixth). The Cougars left the mat with two finalists and 10 medalists in a show of force. Monte Vista had a total of eight medalists while Valhalla had nine medalists.

Helix, with two finalists and six medalists, finished eighth at the Division II championships, followed by Grossmont (two finalists, four medalists) in ninth place. West Hills, with two finalists and five medalists, placed 12th in the team standings.

Metro sends nine to finals, crowns four CIF champs
The Metro Conference will be represented at the Masters tournament with four division champions and five additional division finalists taking the mat.

The top eight wrestlers in each weight class qualified from last Saturday’s Division I tournament, with the top six wrestlers from both the Division II and Division III tournaments advancing as well as the top four wrestlers from the Division IV tournament.

Chula Vista, Otay Ranch and Sweetwater competed at the Division I tournament at Otay Ranch High School. Bonita Vista, Castle Park, Eastlake, Hilltop and San Ysidro competed at the Division II tournament at Mira Mesa High School. Mar Vista, Montgomery and Southwest competed at Division III at Ramona High School.

Metro Conference wrestlers had a chance to shine at the Division II finals with six grapplers advancing to championship-round matches. Three South County mat men qualified for finals matches at the Division III tourney.

Bonita Vista’s Cesar Sandoval (112), Eastlake’s Lamar Dent (125), Hilltop’s Javier Martinez (145) and San Ysidro’s Joel Mendoza (215) led the parade of 35 Metro divisional medalists with first-place finishes.

Finalists included Hilltop’s Andy Galata (135), Bonita Vista’s Cody Lopez (189), Montgomery’s Pedro Tapia (125) and Gideon Hemesath (135) and Mar Vista’s Tommy McLaughlin (215).

Tapia and McLaughlin were the conference’s outstanding wrestlers as this year’s Metro finals.

There were seven additional third-place medalists: Eastlake’s George Castilleja (112) and Hawk Thompson (145), San Ysidro’s Jose Bautista (125), Hilltop’s Todd Garrison (140), Benz Seaton (160) and Jerry Santillan (189), and Mar Vista’s Allan DeLos Reyes (119).

South Bay League champion Hilltop placed third at the Division II field after winning the team title last season. Mesa League champion Bonita Vista finished seventh in the Division II team standings, followed by Eastlake in a tie for ninth place.

Helix, with two finalists and six medalists, finished eighth at the Division II championships, followed by Grossmont (two finalists, four medalists) in ninth place. West Hills, with two finalists and five medalists, placed 12th in the team standings.

Montgomery was ninth, followed by Mar Vista in 10th place, at the Division III tournament.

Hilltop coach Thomas Juarez said the emphasis with a rebuilding team this year was to qualify as many wrestlers as possible for the upcoming Masters tournament. The Lancers didn’t do a bad job with six top six qualifiers, including two CIF finalists.

Eastlake had six top six Masters qualifiers while San Ysidro, in an unprecedented show of strength, finished the Division II finals with four top six Masters qualifiers. Bonita Vista had six Masters qualifiers, including two CIF finalists.

Among the Metro’s individual champions, Bonita Vista’s Sandoval recorded a 16-5 major decision against Grossmont’s Gianni Battaglia; Eastlake’s Dent out-pointed Hoover’s Gary Green by a 13-3 major decision; Hilltop’s Martinez decisioned Scripps Ranch’s Kyle Clapp, 7-2; and San Ysidro’s Mendoza pinned Westview’s Allen Burns in 3:25.

The finals appearance was the seventh this season for Martinez, who previously won individual championships at the San Diego Holiday Classic, Falcon Invitational, Holtville Invitational and Metro Conference finals (South Bay League champion).

Among runner-up finishers, Hilltop’s Galata lost a 10-0 major decision to Helix’s Stephen Alvarez while BV’s Lopez lost by 3:00 fall to Patrick Henry’s Malcolm Coleman, Montgomery’s Tapia lost 13-4 to Brawley’s Robert Cantaneda, Montgomery’s Hemesath lost by 2:23 pin against Southwest El Centro’s Josh Guerra and MV’s McLaughlin was narrowly out-pointed 5-3 by Central Union’s Angel Romero.

Eastlake had two wrestlers receive top seeds and two others earn No. 3 seeds in their weight classes at the Division II tournament. However, one of the top-seeded Titans failed to make weight, thus diminishing Eastlake’s chances of moving up the final team standings.

Section notepad
•Granite Hills’ Justin Phillips, regarded as one of the top 189-pounders in the section, suffered an injury in the semifinals at the Division I tournament and defaulted in his subsequent matches to place sixth. It is unknown whether the injury will prevent him from competing at Masters.

•Divisional team champions included Poway (Division I), Scripps Ranch (Division II), Brawley (Division III) and Valley Center (Division IV).

•Imperial’s Priscilla Caldera made history as the first female wrestler to win a section title in state history by winning the 103-pound championship at the Division IV tournament. Hoover’s Ana’i Novoa, another female standout, finished second at 103 pounds at the Division II finals.

Grossmont Conference Masters Qualifiers
Division I medalists
Fourth place: Derek Cockrum (Granite Hills), 160 pounds.
Fifth place: Zach McClanahan (Granite Hills), 103 pounds.
Sixth place: Justin Phillips (Granite Hills), 189 pounds.
Eighth place: Brent Harkins (Granite Hills), 140 pounds; Jacob Castillo (Granite Hills), 152 pounds.

Division II medalists
First place: Stephen Alvarez (Helix), 135 pounds.

Second place: Gianna Battaglia (Grossmont), 112 pounds; Valentin Cuevas (Grossmont), 119 pounds; Victor Richmond (Helix), 140 pounds; Nick Gilchriest (West Hills), 152 pounds; John Degurski (West Hills), 160 pounds.

Third place: Robert Burton (Helix), 119 pounds; Yousuf Wahid (Grossmont), 152 pounds; John Flint (Grossmont), 285 pounds.

Fourth place: A.J. Agustin (Helix), 112 pounds; Jackson Kunz (West Hills), 130 pounds.

Fifth place: John Ayers-Mann (West Hills), 125 pounds; Patrick Phalen (Helix), 215 pounds.

Sixth place: Jose Cervantes (West Hills), 112 pounds; Vince Krupa (Helix), 285 pounds.

Division III medalists
First place: Landon Holmes (Valhalla), 112 pounds; Chris Thomas (Valhalla), 189 pounds.

Second place: Caleb Cardenas (Steele Canyon), 119 pounds; J.B. Graff (Steele Canyon), 152 pounds; Chris Eade (Monte Vista), 171 pounds.

Third place: Renzo Salazar (Valhalla), 130 pounds; Connor Hanten (Steele Canyon), 145 pounds; Lonnie Alexander (Monte Vista), 152 pounds; Garret Estevane (Steele Canyon), 160 pounds; Philip Kelly (El Capitan), 171 pounds; Norberto Cadena (Monte Vista), 285 pounds.

Fourth place: Levi Annon (Monte Vista), 103 pounds; Masud Hasan (Monte Vista), 112 pounds; Hunter Beamon (Monte Vista), 125 pounds; Garrett Ludwig (El Capitan), 130 pounds; Max Verduzco (Valhalla), 140 pounds; Ryan Esquibel (Steele Canyon), 171 pounds; Ryan Pearl (Steele Canyon), 189 pounds; Tim Pugsley (Monte Vista), 215 pounds; Robert Forester (Steele Canyon), 285 pounds.

Fifth place: Dylan Lincoln (Steele Canyon), 103 pounds; Sergio Cruz (El Cajon Valley), 112 pounds; Persio Morel (Monte Vista), 119 pounds; Will Yankaukas (Mt. Miguel), 160 pounds; Nathan Pastore (Valhalla), 171 pounds.

Sixth place: Charles Strampfer (Valhalla), 103 pounds; Zack Maguire (Valhalla), 119 pounds; Dylan Sawyer (Steele Canyon), 125 pounds; James Giblin (Steele Canyon), 130 pouns; Tony Sangermano (El Capitan), 135 pounds; Cody James (El Capitan), 140 pounds; Jacob Dodge (El Capitan); Shane Mallory (Valhalla), 160 pounds; Jose Cortes (Valhalla), 285 pounds.

Division IV medalists
First place: Billy Tyler (Santana), 145 pounds.
Second place: Brent Wilson (Santana), 103 pounds.
Third place: Tim Sherlock (Santana), 130 pounds.
Fourth place: Blake Kahler (Santana), 171 pounds.

Metro Conference Masters Qualifiers
Division I medalists
Fifth place: Sonny Garcia (Otay Ranch), 160 pounds.
Sixth place: Chris Navarro (Sweetwater), 140 pounds; Brian Halter (Chula Vista), 285 pounds.
Eighth place: Anthony Reyes (Sweetwater), 103 pounds; Artemio Corral (Chula Vista), 119 pounds; Lupe Corral (Chula Vista), 189 pounds.

Division II medalists
First place: Cesar Sandoval (Bonita Vista), 112 pounds; Lamar Dent (Eastlake), 125 pounds; Javier Martinez (Hilltop), 145 pounds; Joel Mendoza (San Ysidro), 215 pounds.

Second place: Andy Galata (Hilltop), 135 pounds; Cody Lopez (Bonita Vista), 189 pounds.

Third place: George Castilleja (Eastlake), 112 pounds; Jose Bautista (San Ysidro), 125 pounds; Todd Garrison (Hilltop), 140 pounds; Hawk Thompson (Eastlake), 145 pounds; Benz Seaton (Hilltop), 160 pounds; Jerry Santillan (Hilltop), 189 pounds.

Fourth place: Jeff Breton (Bonita Vista), 103 pounds; Matthew Periola (Bonita Vista), 160 pounds.

Fifth place: Justin Baroy (Eastlake), 130 pounds; Rudy Aguiluz (San Ysidro), 135 pounds; A.J. Romero (Eastlake), 171 pounds; Toby Galaviz (San Ysidro), 189 pounds; Curtis Smith (Bonita Vista), 285 pounds.

Sixth place: Matt Reyes (Hilltop), 125 pounds; Juan Diaz (Bonita Vista), 130 pounds; Donald Jimenez (Eastlake), 152 pounds.

Division III medalists
Second place: Pedro Tapia (Montgomery), 125 pounds; Gideon Hemesath (Montgomery), 135 pounds; Tommy McLaughlin (Mar Vista), 215 pounds.

Third place: Allan DeLos Reyes (Mar Vista), 119 pounds.

Fifth place: Ricardo Rojas (Southwest), 125 pounds; Joseph Amavisca (Southwest), 135 pounds; Joseph Kent (Montgomery), 140 pounds.