ORANGE – The Servite wrestling team needed a complete effort to hold off the competition at this year’s CIF-SS Southern Division of the Individual Championships.
The Friars began the second day of competition at Santiago Canyon College with 12 wrestlers still competing in the tournament.
At the end of Saturday, the Friars had six, but they had scored 197 points to top the field for the title.
St. John Bosco of Bellflower was second with 177 points.
“I’m very proud of these young men,” Servite coach Alan Clinton said. “In seven short years … that’s pretty good to come and win a CIF title. We’ve been runners-up twice, but winning it, is the icing on the cake.
“These kids worked real hard to get this. This is all their hard work and dedication.”
The Friars led St. John Bosco and Laguna Hills by seven points entering the second day.
Noah Blakely (126) and Johnny Beltran (182) finished first at their weights. JJ Reed placed fifth at 138, Gordon Livermore was second at 152, Kevin Vidal was third at 160 and Cameron Amador placed fourth at heavyweight.
“It was a dogfight all the way through and they stepped up to the occasion,” Clinton said. “That’s where championships are won. What the guy underneath (in the consolation bracket) that’s got to fight and come back … everyone of those kids battled back and got bonus points when we needed bonus points, and they got themselves into qualify for Masters.”
The top five wrestlers at each weight class advances to the CIF-SS Masters Meet on Feb. 28-March 1 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.
Laguna Hills finished third. The Hawks also had six medalists advancing – Dexter Viengvilay, Anthony Le, Phillip Zamora, James Oliveros, Jon Salazar and Jose Ballesteros.
The top seven teams in the standings were separated by 77 points.
Phillip O’Shea (Capistrano Valley) and Santa Margarita’s Jeff Holsinger shared Upper Weight MVP honors. O’Shea won four matches by fall and another by technical fall at 195 pounds. Holsinger pinned all five opponents at 220 for his second consecutive CIF title.
Sonora had two champions: Russell Rohlfing (120) and David Macias (138). Nathan Fier (106) joined Holsinger as champions for Santa Margarita.
Trevor Perez of Mater Dei was the champion at 145 pounds and Jesse Gomez of Buena Park took the heavyweight crown.
Mater Dei’s James McLaughlin (120), Servite’s Reed, San Clemente’s Kyle Marshall (152) and Mater Dei heavyweight David White won their fifth-place match to qualify.
Marshall trailed, 4-0, in his match, before winning by fall in the third period. McLaughlin trailed, 6-5, going into the final period before winning, 8-6.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
