No. 1 Laguna Hills pulls out victory over No. 3 Servite

LAGUNA HILLS – There weren't any free meals at the annual Dinner Dual hosted by Laguna Hills.

The top-ranked Hawks needed nearly every minute of the matches they won during the dual against third-ranked Servite to pull out a 31-21 nonleague victory Tuesday night.

"That was about as good as it gets," Laguna Hills coach Cliff Jarmie said. "Kudos to Servite. ... They brought it tonight."

The Hawks gained some much-needed confidence by winning Saturday's Carter High Invitational and it showed Tuesday night.

Of the nine victories by the Hawks, eight went all three periods.

"Our kids wrestled pretty well and I think it was a confidence builder," Jarmie said of the weekend victory. "We still had some matches (tonight) I was disappointed in, but that's why we wrestle and not mail in the score."

With a 4-3 lead after the first two matches, Laguna Hills won the next six matches through 145 pounds, all by decision, to take a 22-3 lead.

The dual started at 103 pounds.

One key victory came at 135 pounds where freshman Mike Longo defeated Luke McDonald, ranked No. 1 in the county, 10-6.

Longo trailed, 6-5, in the third, but rallied for a 2-point takedown and a 3-point near fall to seal the victory.

"Big victory for Longo," Jarmie said. "He has a lot of experience, but to come out here under the light in this situation, he showed a lot of poise and kept his head."

Servite didn't go away, winning three of the next four matches — Erick Cone (152) by decision, Gianpier Yanez (160) by fall and Johnny Beltran (189) by decision to cut the score to 25-15.

At 215, Andrew Alcantara clinched the victory for the Hawks with a victory by fall.

"It was a good dual," Servite coach Alan Clinton said. "We just needed to win some of those matches early that we thought we were going to win."