The Hilltop High School wrestling team finished third out of 32 teams at last Saturday’s Marauder Invitational at Mira Mesa High School. The Lancers finished with 139 points to trail team champion Mt. Carmel (195 points) and runner-up Ramona (187 points).
Overall, three South County teams finished among the top 10 teams. Olympian placed ninth with 98 points while San Ysidro was 10 with 94 points. Otay Ranch finished 12th with 90 points.
Three Metro Conference mat men advanced to the championship round, with San Ysidro’s Joey Alvarez (125 pounds) and Hilltop’s Roman Flores (160 pounds) both winning individual championship titles. San Ysidro’s Javier Talamantes was second in his 112-pound weight class.
Alvarez earned honors as the outstanding lower weight wrestler with two pins and a 9-0 major decision in his four trips to the mat. He recorded a 7-1 decision over El Cajon Valley’s Peter Ahmaki in the championship round.
Flores also had two pins in the tournament. He edged La Jolla’s Matt Vasques, 4-3, in the finals.
Talamantes recorded a pair of major decisions —15-1 and 13-2 — prior to dropping a 12-3 major decision to Mt. Carmel’s Miguel Durantes in the championship round.
Ramona 152-pounder Brodie Chenowth earned honors as the Marauder Invitational’s outstanding upper weight wrestler.
