The Fountain Valley wrestling team will begin the second day of the CIF-SS Southern Division Individual Championships with its sights set on the title.
The Barons scored 111.5 points on Day 1 at Marina High, leading second-place Pioneer Valley of Santa Maria (96.5) and third-place Santa Ana (92.5).
Fountain Valley has five wrestlers – Karson Ayres (120), Blake Vasquez (160), Andrew Morgan (170), Stone Escobedo (182) and Ben Madrid (220) – in the championship semifinals, and three others in consolation.
“We had a good first few rounds,” Fountain Valley coach Brad Woodbury said. “It is still a dogfight. Coming into this we knew the guys that weren’t seeded, they needed to win some matches. They’ve all won at least one match. They’re scoring points and that’s huge.”
Ayres, Vasquez, Morgan and Madrid all went 3-0. Vasquez and Morgan won all of their matches by fall.
“Now the guys have to come back and battle and place (in the top five today),” Woodbury said.
The Barons haven’t won a CIF title since 1985.
Santa Maria has four in the semifinals and four in consolation.
The team to watch will be Santa Ana, which has four in the semifinals and six in consolation.
“I was hoping to get a few more guys in the semifinals, but it is going to be a battle,” Santa Ana coach Scott Glabb said. “It can be between any three of us, but it is a matter of who shows up tomorrow (Saturday) and wants to compete.”
Saul Bravo (120), Ricardo Navarette (126), Miguel Ramos (132) and Gil Gutierrez (138) are in the semifinals for the Saints.
“Overall, I’m happy,” Glabb said.
Marina has three in the semifinals: Peter McCoy (152), Cameron Gorman (170) and Ryker Coppa (195). Coppa won all three of his matches by first-period fall.
Loara has a pair in the semifinals: Ben Gonzalez (145) and Steven Ahumada (220). Los Alamitos (Dickie Brown, 152) and Westminster (Chien Phan, 138) had one apiece.
At the Inland Division Championships:
Servite scored 150 points and will start today at Temecula Valley High with all 14 wrestlers still alive in the tournament.
The Friars have nine in the championship semifinals – Liam Cronin (106), Matt Rodriguez (113), Noah Blakley (126), JJ Reed (145), Angel Cordova (152), Gordon Livermore (170), Michael Vasquez (182), Parker Saltzman (195), Kyle Paterson (220) – and five in the consolation bracket.
Irvine is in fourth place. Calvary Chapel is in fifth, with six in the semifinals.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
