By Stephen Ramirez
ONTARIO >> Northview and San Marino high schools have been the area wrestling kings the past two seasons and they showed off their dominance Saturday.
The two area powers combined for seven individual titles at the CIF Southern Section Masters to finish second and third at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Calvary Chapel, of Santa Ana, topped the team standings.
San Marino scored a meet-best four titles, getting championship efforts from Zander Silva (126), Julian Flores (138) and the twin brothers tandem of Zander (145) and Evan Wick (152). Northview countered with titles from Eddie Flores (106), Richie Casillas (120) and Jackson Serna (Heavyweight). Casillas, Silva, Julian Flores and Zander Wick were repeat winners. Flores also won a state title last season.
The area qualified 20 to next week’s CIF State championships at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield. The other area qualifiers were Northview’s Dominick Arellano (113, fifth), Ricky Marin (132, eighth), Steven Comstock (170, fourth) and Gabriel Ortiz (126, ninth); San Marino’s Aaron Padilla (160, eighth); Bishop Amat’s Sidney Flores (113, sixth); Gladstone’s Mario Barios (120, eighth); Walnut’s Micah Maes (160, seventh); Charter Oak’s Vincent Zavala (132, fifth); Santa Fe’s Damian Valdez (106, ninth); Rowland’s Ethan Vistro (195, sixth); California’s James Udell (220, ninth) and South Hills’ Austin Moreno (285, ninth).
Northview led the area and section with seven qualifiers.
“This tournament is so challenging that our mind-set was to just get our kids through and qualified to state,” Northview coach Bobby Bellamy said. “If we had an opportunity to win the tournament, we’d be OK with that. If not, (then it’s OK). I’m very pleased. We got seven kids to state, the most we’ve ever had. I’m extremely ecstatic.”
Casillas was also lower-weight MVP after scoring two wins by fall and one by technical fall. He beat La Quinta’s Joe Avila, 8-4, in the final.
“I wanted to get that two-time Masters championship,” Casillas said. “I just came out with all I had to accomplish my goal.”
Julian Flores, who won at 132 at the state championships last season, had one of more dominant finals, easily beating Mater Dei’s Devin Pacheco, 16-2, to take the 138 bout. He also had two wins by fall en route to the final.
“Winning two Masters titles is a blessing,” Flores said. “My first two years, I didn’t do well, so it’s a blessing. It’s an accomplishment.
“I just tried to take the match myself, and not let someone else control it. I just did my thing, my offense and don’t let him use his offense.”
Evan Wick, who was second last season, used a late takedown to score a 3-2 win over Riverside King’s Luke Troy, who transferred from San Marino.
“I was down by one, so I had to do what I had to do,” Wick said. “I got him with a single leg (takedown). We were (an inch) from being out of bounds, so I had to drag him back in. I finally got him back in, got the takedown, then rode him out for 21 seconds to take the win.”
Serna, ranked in the state top 10 by The California Wrestler all season, made history for the second consecutive week. He’s Northview’s first Masters heavyweight champion after becoming the Vikings’ first divisional heavyweight titlist last week. “It feels great, but a lot of hard work,” Serna said. “It’s a team effort, too. I couldn’t do this without my coaching staff. It’s a great honor. I hope I can win state next week, too.”
Monthly Archives: February 2016
Girls Basketball: Duarte advances to championship, Rowland loses a heartbreaker
Saturday’s Semifinals
Division 2A
Agoura 43, Rowland 41
Division 4AA
Duarte 43, Lompoc 42
OMG LA CAÑADA WIN 55-52 OFF THIS!!!!!! TO THE FINAL!!!! @SGVNSports pic.twitter.com/Z8WBl71U3P
— Vincent Nguyen (@ReporterVince) February 28, 2016
Girls wrestling: Three area competitors take home second-place medals
No area girl was on the top of podium at the Girls CIF State wrestling championships Saturday, but the area did get four second-place finishes, while earning nine top-eight medals in Visalia.
The area medalists were West Covina’s Jennifer Lopez (116) and Yvette Garcia (160) and Baldwin Park’s McKayla Loza (189). The other top-eight placers were Diamond Ranch’s Trina Nguyen (101, sixth); Walnut’s Mia Dow (121, third); Sierra Vista’s Brianna Vilchis (126, eighth); Northview’s Mia Leon (143, third) and Deidra Valles (150, eighth); Bonita’s Natalie Romero (143, eighth).
Saturday Recap: Gabrielino baseball win season opener
If you have any scores or stats from any local high school sporting events call them into the desk at 626-544-0992 or 0991 or scores@SGVN
Baseball
Gabrielino 7, Rosemead 5 — Christian LeRue pitched a complete game, striking out seven, Daniel Brito went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Brian Chan went 3 for 4 with two runs for the Eagles (1-0).
Bonita 3, Cantwell-Sacred Heart 0 — AJ Woodall pitched a complete game and Nick Peifer and Tommy Delgado both had two hits for the Bearcats (1-0) in a SoCal Baseball Pre-Season Tournament win.
Softball
San Gabriel 11, Eisenhower 2 — Mariah Serna went 3 for 3 and Marissa Cabrera was the winning pitcher to lead the Matadors (1-0) to the Duarte Tournament victory.
Bonita, Diamond Ranch boys basketball avenge semifinal losses with trips to the ‘Ship
CIF-Southern Section Boys Basketball Playoffs
Friday’s semifinals
Division 3A
Diamond Ranch 48, Beverly Hills 45
Division 3AA
Bonita 67, Calabasas 56
Open Division Consolation Quarterfinals
Alemany 71, Damien 65, OT
Championships, Sites TBA
Division 3A
Chaminade vs. Diamond Ranch, TBA
Division 3AA
Oak Park vs. Bonita, TBA
Covina advanes to semis with 2-1 win over La Canada; Gladstone bows out, 3-1
CIF-SS Boys Soccer Playoffs
Friday’s Quarterfinals
Division 4
South Torrance 3, Gladstone 1
Division 6
Covina 2, La Canada 1
Tuesday’s semifinals
Covina at Desert Mirage, 5 p.m.
Jose Ortega with the game-tying goal for Covina, 1-1 against La Canada pic.twitter.com/5MrnYrjcQJ
— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) February 27, 2016
Edgar Guadalupe with the go-ahead goal for Covina in the 65th, 2-1 over La Canada pic.twitter.com/LpLODwzGgu
— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) February 27, 2016
San Gabriel Valley’s best baseball tournament starts Saturday and we’ve got the schedule
Bonita baseball coach John Knott and South Hills coach Darren Murphy, with help from other area coaches, do a wonderful job putting together one of the best 32-team high school baseball tournaments in Southern California, and includes most of the area’s heavyweights like South Hills, San Dimas, Walnut, Chino Hills, Arcadia, St. Francis, and host Bonita. Check out the schedule, it all begins on February 27.