STATE HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS : Independence Ends Calvary Chapel’s Run

STOCKTON —  San Jose Independence ended Santa Ana Calvary Chapel’s dreams of winning a third consecutive State wrestling championship Saturday in front of 7,000 spectators at the University of the Pacific’s Spanos Center.

Before the championship round, Calvary Chapel was trailing Independence by six points. But both teams had two wrestlers in the finals.

For Independence, Tony Gomez, at 125 pounds, and defending champion Eric Guerrero (135), would wrestle before Calvary Chapel’s Josh Holiday (152) and Ed Mosley (160), both defending champions. For Calvary Chapel to have a chance, one Independence wrestler would have to lose, and both Calvary wrestlers would have to have pins.

Gomez won in overtime, beating Dane Bettencourt of Del Oro, 6-4, and Guerrero--named the meet’s champion of champion--became a three-time State winner by pinning Ivan Ibarra of Watsonville.

There were no pins for Holiday or Mosley, and Calvary Chapel wound up with 106.5 points, seven short of Independence. Bakersfield was third with 98.5.

Calvary Chapel’s demise started in a 125-pound semifinal between Eagle sophomore Joe Calavitta and Gomez.

But Gomez eventually sealed a 10-7 victory with a late takedown.

Calavitta went on to beat Jamill Kelly of Atwater, 5-2, for third.

Holiday won his 152-pound final against Mario Castillo of Watsonville, 20-11, and Mosley beat Jason Webster of Corona Centennial, 8-6 in overtime, at 160.