The Olympian High School wrestling team spread its wings over last Saturday’s Metro Conference championship tournament at Mar Vista high School by winning the varsity team title and recording a runner-up finish in the junior varsity field.
The varsity tournament team title is a first for the program.
“We had quality practices all week leading up to this tournament,” OHS coach Myron Griffin explained. “The momentum we brought into this tournament was amazing. The team was excited about competing in the tournament. Everyone was on the same page today.”
The Eagles, amassing 163 points in the team standings, advanced five wrestlers to championship round matches in the varsity tournament, with Bryan Sanchez (108 pounds), Dante Preciado (134 pounds) and Uriel Beristain (172 pounds) each winning individual weight class titles.
Olympian had four individual champions and six finalists in the JV tournament.
South Bay League dual meet champion San Ysidro finished second in the varsity team standings with 139.5 points. The Cougars had three finalists and two champions: Mario A La Torre at 140 pounds and brother Roberto A La Torre at 154 pounds.
Mario A La Torre (outstanding lower weight) and Eastlake 197-pounder Ronnie Sallee (outstanding upper weight) received the tournament’s most valuable wrestler awards.
A La Torre (24-9) went 3-0 at the conference finals, topping off the day with a 6-2 upset win over top-seeded Dylan Costello (32-5) of Otay Ranch in the finals.
“It’s something unexpected and amazing,” A La Torre said. “I’m glad I got it, but I’m also happy for the team. I’m speechless.”
Sallee (24-5) had three pins in as many matches, including a 19-second pin in the finals against Montgomery’s Chase Riegg. Sallee, among the contenders to qualify for this year’s state championship meet, enters this Saturday’s San Diego Section Division I championship tournament at Mission Hills High School ranked fourth in the section in his weight class.
The EHS mat standout suggested trying to hold anything back at this point of the season is not advisable.
“You’ve got to take each match as if it were your last,” Sallee said. “You wrestle one match at a time. It’s more mental than physical.”
Olympian’s Sanchez and San Ysidro’s Roberto Al La Torre are both ranked second in the section while Preciado and Eastlake heavyweight (and newly crowned 2015 Metro champion) Jake Suggett are ranked third. Also, Mar Vista sophomore (and 2015 Metro champion) Aaron Olmos is ranked fourth in the section in his 147-pound weight class.
Parade of champions
Mesa League dual meet champion Hilltop had five finalists, with one individual champion: Giany Barbosa (128). Runners-up included Joseph Torres (122), Alberto Garcia (134), Dominic Esparza (162) and Seamus Beyerle (172).
Otay Ranch had four finalists, with three individual champions: Brandon McCurdy (115), Kristian Aguirre (162) and Mustafa Farha (222).
Mater Dei Catholic had two finalists and one individual champion: Ivan Duran (184). Jonas Ullsperger was second at 128 pounds.
Bonita Vista had one individual champion: Joey Babauta (122).
Placing second were Olympian’s Gabriel Sanvictores (147) and Donato Lorenzo (184), San Ysidro’s Jose Elizalde Hafely (222), Eastlake’s Ben Martinez (108), Mar Vista’s Christian Winnie (115) and Chula Vista’s Christian Alonso (154) and Roman Delgado (287).
Eastlake, with four individual champions and eight finalists, won the JV tournament title by a 138-125 score over Olympian.
Metro Conference Wrestling Championships
Saturday, Feb. 14 at Mar Vista High School
Varsity Team Standings
School, points
1. Olympian 163
2. San Ysidro 139.5
3. Eastlake 123
4. Otay Ranch 120
5. Hilltop 113
6. Mar Vista 81
7. Mater Dei Catholic 58.5
8. Chula Vista 50.5
9. Bonita Vista 48
10. Montgomery 44
11. Castle Park 20
12. Sweetwater 5
13. Southwest 2
Varsity Finals
Championship Matches
108: Bryan Sanchez (Olympian) decisioned Ben Martinez (Eastlake) 7-5
115: Brandon McCurdy (Otay Ranch) decisioned Christian Winnie (Mar Vista) 9-5
122: Joey Babauta (Bonita Vista) pinned Joseph Torres (Hilltop) 1:41
128: Giany Barbosa (Hilltop) decisioned Jonas Ullsperger (Mater Dei Catholic) 5-0
134: Dante Preciado (Olympian) decisioned Alberto Garcia (Hilltop) 11-5
140: Mario A La Torre (San Ysidro) decisioned Dylan Costello (Otay Ranch) 6-2
147: Aaron Olmos (Mar Vista) pinned Gabriel Sanvictore (Olympian) 1:31
154: Roberto A La Torre (San Ysidro) decisioned Chris Alonso (Chula Vista) 7-2
162: Kristian Aguirre (Otay Ranch) decisioned Dominic Esparza (Hilltop) 7-4
172: Uriel Beristain (Olympian) decisioned Seamus Beyerle (Hilltop) 6-4
184: Ivan Duran (Mater Dei Catholic) decisioned Donato Lorenzo (Olympian) 2-1
197: Ronnie Sallee (Eastlake) pinned Chase Riegg (Montgomery) 0:19
222: Mustafa Farha (Otay Ranch) decisioned Jose Elizalde-Hafely (San Ysidro) 10-8
287: Jake Suggett (Eastlake) pinned Roman Delgado (Chula Vista) 3:15
Third-Place Matches
108: Brian Alegre (Montgomery) decisioned Samnuel Torres (Hilltop) 3-2
115: Ethan Ramos (Olympian) decisioned Oscar Munvie (San Ysidro) 5-3
122: Jeremiah Arabaca (Olympian) pinned Jorbel Alvarez (San Ysidro) 4:34
128: Michael Johnson (Eastlake) decisioned Luciano Parra (Olympian) 11-9
134: Kevin Moyna (Eastlake) pinned Marcelo Avila (Otay Ranch) 3:56
140: Royce Casiano (Olympian) won by rule over Jacob Belury (Mar Vista)
147: Edward Acosta (Otay Ranch) pinned Armando Castro (Eastlake) 3:45
154: Sithara Diunugala (Otay Ranch) decisioned Sean Jones (Mar Vista) 10-8
162: Pablo Perez (San Ysidro) pinned Zennon Jurado (Mar Vista) 4:49
172: Emmanuel Barajas (Bonita Vista) decisioned Raymond Medrano (Mar Vista) 5-3
184: Arath Rodriguez (San Ysidro) decisioned Joshua Pultorak (Eastlake) 5-3
197: Jorge Herrera (San Ysidro) decisioned Salvador Lutteroth (Mater Dei Catholic) 4-1
222: Miguel Ballesteros (Montgomery) pinned Juan Morales (Olympian) 1:27
287: Angel Jurado (Castle Park) decisioned Josue Caro (Hilltop) 6-1
Junior Varsity Team Standings
School, points
1. Eastlake138
2. Olympian 125
3. Otay Ranch 96
4. Southwest 74.5
5. Hilltop 58.5
6. San Ysidro 58
7. Mater Dei Catholic 40
8. Mar Vista 36
9. Sweetwater 35
10. Chula Vista 31.5
11. Montgomery 22
12. Bonita Vista 8
13. Castle Park 0
JV Finals
Championship Matches
108: Paul Crampton (Eastlake) decisioned Daniel Vargas (Olympian) 4-2
115: Ethan Deguzman (Olympian) pinned Diego Hook (Eastlake) 1:21
122: Mark Montano (Olympian) pinned Camille Baaklini (Mar Vista) 1:54
128: Andres Espinoza (Olympian) decisioned Joseph Fonseca (Sweetwater) 6-2
134: Roberto Hernandez (Hilltop) pinned Andre Rodriguez (Otay Ranch) 1:57
140: Abraham Pena (Olympian) decisioned Sebastian Botello (San Ysidro) 6-2
147: Nicholas San Joval (Otay Ranch) decisioned Brian Cayetano (Olympian) 5-2
154: Javier Sanchez-Villegas (San Ysidro) pinned Axell Perez (Otay Ranch) 2:44
162: Jose Carrillo (Southwest) decisioned Andres Gonzalez (Hilltop) 8-4
172: Cesar Santana (Hilltop) decisioned Miguel Esqivies (Eastlake) 5-0
184: Tanner Waller (Eastlake) pinned Guillermo Gonzalez (Sweetwater) 0:56
197: Andrew Villagomez (Montgomery) pinned Crucificio Bernal (Eastlake) 0:59
222: Emilio Gomez (Eastlake) pinned Jesus Garcia (Southwest) 3:57
287: Myles Wright (Eastlake) decisioned Yaser Farha (Eastlake) 3-1
Third-Place Matches
108: Pablo Hernandez (Mater Dei Catholic) decisioned Adrian Hernandez III (Otay Ranch) 12-10
115: Guy Almeras (Chula Vista) won by default
122: Victor Gallegos (Eastlake) major decisioned Eric Bacerra (Otay Ranch) 13-4
128: Joseph DeJesus (Otay Ranch) pinned Christian Corona (Hilltop) 2:59
134: Josiah Charles (Olympian) decisioned Esteban Canizales (Chula Vista) 6-1
140: Alfredo Ramirez (Mar Vista) decisioned Denny Santos (Hilltop) 6-2
147: Gabriel Contreras (Chula Vista) pinned Jose Hernandez (Mater Dei Catholic) 2:44
154: Thomas Weinert (Olympian) pinned Max Contreras (Southwest) 2:32
162: Kyle Denney (Mar Vista) pinned David De La Toba (Eastlake) 3:48
172: Gilberto Robles (Southwest) pinned Long Lam (Otay Ranch) 2:16
184: Aldo Rosales (San Ysidro) pinned Ernesto Murillo (Eastlake) 3:13
197: Carlos Garcia (Southwest) won by default
222: Tyler Buenjave (Mater Dei Catholic) won by medical forfeit over Alexis Padilla (Hilltop)
287: Steven Bradley (Mater Dei Catholic) decisioned William Figueroa (San Ysidro) 6-0
