Etiwanda edges San Clemente to take section title

Two very strong boys wrestling teams battled for the CIF Southern Section Division 2 team championship on Wednesday night, and the difference was the narrowest of margins.

Etiwanda won its second consecutive dual meet section title, earning a 34-33 victory over San Clemente.

Etiwanda won the Division 3 title in 2023 and was the top team in the Baseline League again this season. San Clemente won the South Coast League and had won three consecutive dual meet section title from 2020 to 2022.

“We try to treat it like just another dual match,” said Etiwanda’s Larry Cutbirth, who is in his 22nd year as the program’s head coach. “The only difference is that the teams are a lot tougher. We got to see San Clemente last Saturday. They are a total class program.”

San Clemente coach David Gayer shares a mutual respect for Etiwanda’s program. He hadn’t seen Etiwanda before and had to call other people to get information.

“This is a tough place to win,” Gayer said, noting the enthusiastic fans supporting the home Eagles. “We battled and fought all of the way.”

In the team championship, coaches can arrange their lineups to try to get the best wrestlers in positions where they can win. One example was Gayer’s decision to move Liam Carroll from 165 pounds to 175.

Carroll trailed 5-1 late in the third period but scored five points in the final 20 seconds to pull out a 6-5 victory. The junior wasn’t aware of the clock.

“Coach tells us to never look at the clock,” Carroll said. “I had a takedown and a near fall to win.”

Putting Carroll at a higher weight class made things easier for Etiwanda’s Evan Manzo at 165 pounds. Manzo, who is ranked seventh in the state, pinned Andre Estrada 30 seconds into the second period of the night’s opening match. The success in the team victory still didn’t make Manzo completely happy.

“I’m not satisfied with what we’ve done,” Manzo said. “Only a state title will satisfy me.”

Last season, Manzo reached the CIF Southern Section Masters’ tournament at the 145 pounds.

Jacob Bell won his match at 138 pounds. He is ranked ninth in the state and began wrestling when he was four years old.

“My parents were both wrestlers in high school,” the junior said.

Both Bell and Carroll, who began wrestling in first grade, got started at MMA gyms. Carroll remains interested in other martial arts and trains there in the summer. Bell said after a month, he knew wrestling was his favorite.

Other winners for Etiwanda: Maxx Diaz (113) by pin; Jacob Solano (120), who won a 6-4 decision; Ben Mejia (126) by a 17-5 major decision; Austin Mcswain (132) via a 16-0 technical fall; and Galen Brown (285) by a 7-1 decision.

Other winners for San Clemente: Deegan Bell (106) by a pin; Adam Wronski (144) by an 8-1 decision; Jacob Beldin (150) by pin; Kelan Stever (157) by pin; Dylan Henry (190) by pin; and Max Bolinger (215) by a 6-4 decision.