ONTARIO – Servite’s Liam Cronin knows all about the latest CIF State individual wrestling rankings.
He’s just not going to pay too much attention to them until his work is done.
Cronin moved this week into the No. 1 spot in the state at 113 pounds. On Friday, the first day of the CIF-SS Masters Meet at Citizens Business Bank Arena, he proved that he’s certainly worthy of the top spot.
“It feels good,” he said of the rankings. “But it doesn’t matter until I win it (state title). It feels good, I’ve worked hard, but it will feel that much better when I win.”
Cronin won two matches by fall and another by major decision to advance to the semifinals and guarantee himself a spot at next week’s CIF State Tournament in Bakersfield.
The top nine finishers in each weight class advance to the CIF State Tournament. All wrestlers in the semifinals after the first day are in.
“The Masters title is the first step to the state title, and I want to win everything,” Cronin said. “Sometimes you have learning lessons, like against (Calvary Chapel’s Luciano) Arroyo at the All-Star Match, but I just have to keep improving and stay grinding.”
Last year, Cronin finished third at Masters and second at the state tournament.
He will face Chance Rich of Valencia of Valencia in the semifinals at approximately 11 a.m. Cronin said he has never faced Rich, but has trained with him.
“He’s a solid kid and I have to be on my game,” Cronin said.
Wrestling resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. with the fourth round of consolation.
Cronin’s teammate and training partner, Marcos Polanco, also qualified for the state tournament at 106 pounds.
“We work him hard,” Cronin said. “He’s getting better.”
Calvary Chapel finished the day with three state qualifiers: Arroyo (113), Justin Thomas (160) and Jeremy Thomas (170). Jeremy Thomas won all three of his matches by fall, which followed his five-fall performance last week at the CIF-SS Individuals.
The Thomas brothers both finished second at last year’s Masters tournament.
Mater Dei has two qualified for the state tournament: Jed Smith (170) and Devin Pacheco (138).
Villa Park’s Josh Luton (132), Laguna Hills’ Phillip Zamora (145), San Clemente’s Tyler Meisinger (154), Trabuco Hills’ Lukas Howa (170) and Santa Ana’s Joey Daniel (195) also clinched spots at the state tournament.
There are 26 O.C. wrestlers alive in the consolation bracket.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
