IRVINE – The Yorba Linda wrestling team can finally answer the question of whether it is tougher to win a title or repeat.
The Mustangs, who entered the CIF-SS Division 5 Dual Meet Wrestling Championships at Irvine High as the top seed, breezed through their first two matches.
In the final against Arroyo of El Monte, the Mustangs’ once-comfortable 16-point lead nearly disappeared, but thanks to a heady performance in the final match, the Mustangs captured their second consecutive CIF-SS Dual Meet title.
“I tell the kids that you’re not truly a champion until you defend your title,” Yorba Linda coach Brian Fortenbaugh said. “That was our mantra all week. We wanted to defend our title.”
That’s exactly what they did.
A late push by Arroyo left Yorba Linda with a five-point lead going into the final match at heavyweight.
The momentum was nearly gone early as Abe Ochoa gave up a takedown and a near fall against Luis Hernandez.
Ochoa trailed, 7-2, after the second period, eventually losing, but he didn’t give up any bonus points, giving the Mustangs a 29-27 victory and sealing the title.
“I knew he was strong,” Ochoa said. “He was smaller than me. I had more weight on him. He just overpowered me (early).
“I needed not to get pinned and that was the big thing.”
The final started at the traditional 106 pounds and Arroyo won the first two matches, 3-0 and by fall, to take a 9-0 lead.
Yorba Linda used that as a wakeup call and reeled off seven consecutive victories to take a 25-9 lead after 160 pounds. Killian Gale (126), Andrew Gomez (132) and Brandon Gee (145) all picked up bonus points in the run.
Arroyo got back into the match quickly, winning by fall at 170 and 182.
“My heart stopped when Nathan (Emry) got pinned at 170s,” Fortenbaugh said. “He’s a reliable kid and he does a great job for us. He came out there a little gangbusters after that escape, went right in and got flopped to his back … I went, ‘Oh no.’
“But you know what, finishing with Abe, I’m really confident in him every time. I knew that if we had the lead, a big enough lead, that we could keep it. He’s not one to get pinned, he’s not one to give up a major decision, so I knew he would do the job, but it was really close out there.”
Irvine defeated Montebello and Mayfair of Lakewood, but came up short, 30-29, against Arroyo in the semifinals. That was Irvine’s best finish since 2011.
Servite in Division 2 and Trabuco Hills in Division 6 both advanced to the finals before losing. Servite lost to Northview of Covina, 42-30. Trabuco Hills was defeated by Carter of Rialto, 28-25.
Calvary Chapel in Division 3 advanced to the semifinals before losing to Rowland, 33-30.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
