Big changes should boost competition

The key theme for the upcoming wrestling season should be change.

That's because there are a lot of new faces in different places.

Here are some of the big changes:

• Calvary Chapel, which has competed the past two seasons unattached to any league, is now in the Orange Coast League. The Eagles will also compete in the Division V duals.

• The Garden Grove League doesn't exist in wrestling. Garden Grove and Santiago are the only schools with wrestling and they have been moved to the Orange Coast League.

• Two-time defending Division II dual champion Laguna Hills has been moved up to Division I.

That means that a possible match with Temecula Valley could be in the future at the Division I duals in February.

• The CIF-SS Masters Meet has moved to Temecula Valley High after two years at Carter High in Rialto. The two-day tournament will take place Feb. 27-28.

JOE WILLIAMS TO COACH

Former two-time state champion and Register wrestler of the year Joe Williams (Calvary Chapel) has been hired as an assistant coach at Mater Dei.

Williams won state titles at 171 and 189 pounds (2002-03) for Calvary Chapel.

The Monarchs are coached by Juliano Prado, who is an international Jiu Jitsu champion.

MORE COACHING CHANGES

Tad Stricker is back as coach at Loara High. Stricker was the Register's coach of the year in 2006. He replaces David Martini.

Sam Lopez has moved from Buena Park High to Selma High. Gonzalo Meza replaces Lopez as coach at Buena Park High.

Gerardo Rodriguez is the new coach at Valencia.

FIRST TEST OF THE YEAR

Again it is the El Dorado Invitational this weekend. The 40-team tournament begins Friday at 2 p.m. The semifinals will likely start at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Poway has dominated the tournament in the past. The Titans are again the favorites.

Poway finished fourth at last year's state tournament.

Also, Laguna Hills will be at the Carter High Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Hawks won last year's tournament with 302 points and 13 place-winners.

NOTES

Western, Loara, Esperanza, Edison, Buena Park, Servite, La Habra, Orange Lutheran, Western, Mater Dei, Capistrano Valley, Segerstrom and Dana Hills all received votes in the county's preseason top 10 poll. � The Five Counties Invitational will take place Jan. 16-17 at Fountain Valley High. � Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to call in all dual meet scores to 714-796-7804 immediately after completion of the dual. Our deadline for scores is 10 p.m.