San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
‘TITAN STYLE’ DOMINATES MASTERS
Poway sends all 14 wrestlers into finals and wins 12 of them
It’s very hard for a Poway High wrestling team to do something no team has done in the history of the program.
Well, this year’s very young Titans can ask their predecessors, “Did you ever put 14 in the finals at Masters and score more than 400 points?”
This Titans team has. The entire Poway lineup made the finals, with 12 champions, and amassed 417 team points at the San Diego Section Boys Masters Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Christian High School. The top four wrestlers at each weight qualified for the state tournament next Thursday through Sunday in Bakersfield, and all 14 Poway wrestlers will be going.
“I’ve never seen that before in any tournament,” said Titans head coach John Meyers of breaking 400 points. “We wrestled Titan style exactly. I don’t think we did it last week (at the CIF Division II championships), but we did it here — both days.”
“Titan style” with lots of young seasoning.
Nine of the 14 Titans were either freshman or sophomores.
“I’m afraid to say it, but we may be even better next year,” said Meyers.
Still it was the spine of the lineup with the upperclassmen leading the way.
Nobody exemplified it more than Brock Bobzien. The senior improved to 26-4 when he avenged his onepoint loss of a week earlier to Granite Hills’ Collin Guffey by downing the Eagles’ sophomore 10-4 in the 132pound final.
“Whatever happened last week shouldn’t have ever happened,” said Bobzien, “I actually felt bad for him, my focus was on punishing him.”
Bobzien is committed to wrestling in the Big Ten at Wisconsin next year.
“My dad grew up in Wisconsin so I’ve been a Badger my whole life,” he explained.
Following right behind Bobzien were his classmates sweeping up the middle.
Johnny Lopez picked up outstanding wrestler honors for his pin of Rancho Bernardo’s Brandon Eusebio in 1:07 at 140. Lopez (21-4) is heading to Bucknell next year.
Oregon State-bound Noah Tolentino came in ranked No. 2 in the state. He didn’t disappoint, pinning Santiago Luna in 3:19 at 145 to improve his record to 36-2.
Braden Pease added a pin of Brawley’s Robert Platt in 4:28 to up his record to 18-8 at 195.
The remaining senior in the lineup is heavyweight Jamikael Lytle. Two years ago he took third in Connecticut and fifth in New England, moving west with his mother, a traveling nurse seeking more opportunities.
“I came here to show off what I can do,” said Lytle, who scored a first-period pin over Montgomery’s Christian Venegas in the final.
Freshmen winning titles were Edwin Sierra (23-5, at 106), Billy Townson (21-8, at 120) and Angelo Posada (21-5 at 162).
The sophomores and juniors were perfect on the day. Paul Kelly improved to 24-7 at 126, Laird Root 19-6 at 154, and Adam Farha 29-6 at 220. Lucas Condon (28-7) was the lone junior champion at 172.
The only two preventing an even more historic meet for Poway were Rancho Bernardo’s Jacob Jones and Carlsbad’s Mason Walsh at 184.
“Since it’s a school rivalry, it’s always fun,” said Jones after downing Titans freshman Elias Navida 10-0 for a major decision at 113.
Jones improved to 42-3 with the victory, one of five Poway-rb matchups in the finals, with another four coming in the semifinals.
Walsh, a sophomore, held off a late cradle from Poway freshman Ben Bomberger for the 8-7 win in the final, improving to 28-2.
Rancho Bernardo pushed nine through to the state, finishing second with 255.5. Brawley was third (160.5) and Granite Hills fourth (143.5).