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Damian Calhoun. Sports Newsroom Assistant.

// MORE INFORMATION: Associate Mug Shot taken August 24, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SANTA ANA – With several eyes in the gym from Santa Ana High wrestling’s past, the present group of Saints wrestlers turned in a solid performance Saturday night.

The sixth-ranked Saints, on their Alumni Night, won 11 of the 14 matches against fifth-ranked Trabuco Hills, leading to their 49-13 nonleague victory.

“I think we wrestled tough,” Santa Ana 138-pounder Miguel Ramos said. “We did better than last year (against Trabuco Hills). Last year we got beat (47-22) and this year, we came in a lot more prepared and trained harder.

“We had to bump up a couple of weights, but I think we just wrestled tougher and smarter this year.”

The Saints won four of the first five matches before Ramos stepped to the mat. By then, Santa Ana already had an 18-3 lead. Ramos won his match by major decision for a 22-3 lead.

Ben Brazeal (145) and Josh Wharton (160) picked up a fall and major decision for the Mustangs. In between their matches, Santa Ana’s Jose Contreras (152) won by fall, giving the Saints a 28-13 lead.

Matt Roxas (120) had the other victory for the Mustangs, 4-3 over Saul Bravo.

Ramos said it was important for this year’s team to have a good performance in front of former stars like Alex and Jimmy Becerra, Jose Najera, Freddy Solis and Ernie Aguilar to name a few. There have been 30 individual CIF champions since 1990 for the Saints and 16 state medalists.

Alex Becerra is an assistant coach for Trabuco Hills along with former Santa Ana wrestler Fernando Serratos, who wasn’t present Saturday.

“We have a wall with all of the guys that made it to state,” Ramos said, “and it was cool seeing all of the guys that wrestled for the program being here and watching us wrestle tonight.

“We’re a big family. We have a lot of former wrestlers that come back and help and give back, like coach (Gary) Ayon and Serratos.”

Everyone who attended had a hand in the successful run that the Santa Ana program has been on since 1990 under Coach Scott Glabb. The Saints recently won their 23rd consecutive league title, 22 in the Golden West League. Glabb said approximately 40 alumni were at the match.

“It makes me feel like I had an impact on them,” Glabb said. “That this program and the coaching staff made a difference in their lives. They’re busy. A lot of them have families, so it feels good that they come back and support us and it is good to see everybody about 100 pounds heavier, but they’re still here.”

Starting at 170 pounds, the Saints won the final five matches to close out the dual. Donciano Orozco (170) and Maurice Mejia (195) both picked up six points, winning their matches by fall.

Missael Cortez (106) and Ricky Navarette (132) also won their matches by fall earlier in the dual.

“I thought the score would be real tight,” Glabb said. “But we won some key matches, they came out fired up, and I’m real proud of them.”

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com