San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
POWAY PROVES TO BE BEST OVER ARIZONA FOE
There’s a purity in a wrestling dual meet. Going head-to-head, weight-byweight, you prove who’s the better “team.”
Poway proved the best of California is better than the best in Arizona as the host Titans won 10 of 14 matches to run away with a 47-15 victory over Sunnyside in the “Battle of No. 1s” Saturday afternoon.
The Titans have now beaten nationally ranked teams from five states, including The Delbarton School (Morristown, N.J.), Massillon (Ohio) Perry, Clovis, Stillwater (Okla.) and Arlington (Texas) Martin at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dual Classic in Stillwater earlier this year.
Their only stumble was when they fell to Edmond North (Okla.) by criteria, after wrestling to a 24-24 tie in the semifinal. The criteria, 9-5 in first scores of matches.
The Titans dominated, scoring five pins and two major decisions against the record 36-time Arizona State champions, including the last six in a row.
“I was telling the kids back in the room before the match that this was something special to be part of,” said Poway coach John Meyers.
The Blue Devils gave the Titans something to think about early. The match started at 147 pounds, where Iowa State-bound Carlos Stanton pinned Poway freshman Mario Carini in 1:30 to give the visitors their only lead, 6-0.
Laird Root, ranked No. 3 in California and No. 15 nationally, quickly righted the ship, pinning Fetu Tualofi in 2:48 at 157 after building up a 13-1 lead.
“I heard the pin before me, so I needed to pin,” said the senior. “This was our day to put on a show before our fans, so that’s what I did.”
Air Force Academybound Jack Estevez gave Poway its first lead with a 12-3 major decision over state runner-up Victor Gonzalez at 160.
Defending Arizona state champion Nico Pina closed the Poway lead to 10-9 with a 3-1 decision over Aliaksandr Kikiniou at 168.
Stanford-bound junior Angelo Posada, ranked No. 1 in California, posted a pin in 3:26 over Yassael Gonzalez at 178 to up the lead to 16-9, only to see state runner-up Lucas Mata cut in to 16-12 with a decision at 193.
Defending state champ Robert Platt got Poway rolling. His pin of Rene Bostick in 4:57 at 218 sent off a run of seven straight wins for the Titans.
Also getting pins in the run were No. 1 ranked freshman Arseni Kikiniou (2:30 at 109) and Stanford-bound junior Edwin Sierra (1:28 at 116).
Billy Townson, ranked third in California, added a 13-4 major decision over state runner-up Sean Archuleta at 129.
Also adding decisions for the Titans were Adam Farha (6-4 at 285), Devin Bobzien (6-2 at 123) and Elias Navida (3-2 at 135).
The biggest match of the night was saved for the finale, where Sunnyside’s Sergio Vegas, ranked No. 2 in the country, faced off with Poway’s No. 3 nationally ranked Paul Kelly.
Vegas, a junior with a 107-1 career record, rebounded from his first career loss a week earlier in the semifinal of the Flowing Wells Tournament, by beating Kelly 6-0. His second period ride out combined with a third period escape, takedown and near fall for the victory.
“I felt pretty good after coming from last week’s loss, there wasn’t any more pressure,” explained Vegas. “I actually know (Kelly), we wrestled a few times in kids tournaments in Arizona. This was the first time I beat him, he was 2-0.”
“He always did have some slick moves,” said Kelly.
Next Saturday the Titans travel to face California No. 2-ranked Buchanan in another big dual meet in Fresno.