Saints’ Leon Turns Tables to Beat Warriors’ Simpson

Wrestlers Mike Simpson of Brethren Christian and Jose Leon of Santa Ana are ranked 1-2 in the county in the 119-pound division. But that may change.

Leon, a senior, pulled off a 6-4 victory over previously unbeaten Simpson in Saturday’s final during the Five Counties Wrestling Tournament at Fountain Valley High.

The Simpson-Leon battle was the only all-Orange County final.

Simpson, a junior, had dominated his three previous opponents, with two technical falls and a 15-6 decision over Covina Northview’s Rick Guzman in the semifinal. Leon had also been impressive in three matches including a 10-9 victory against Nathaniel Ybarra of Arroyo Grande in the semifinals.

Leon, who lost earlier this season to Simpson in the El Dorado Tournament, made his biggest impression Saturday. He was leading, 4-2, when Simpson managed a last-second takedown in the third period to tie the score. Instead of sagging, Leon kept plugging away until he could grab Simpson’s leg and take him down 51 seconds into overtime.

“My coaches and I had been working on some strategy for Mike that I used tonight,” said Leon, 26-3 this season. “I can’t tell you what it is, because I’m pretty sure we’ll see each other a couple more times this season.”

Simpson (34-1) was unhappy with his performance--”I didn’t take any real shots at him”--but said Leon deserved credit. “He wrestled smart and wrestled to beat me, which is what he did.”

Santa Ana, the county’s top-ranked team, had qualified six wrestlers for the Saturday matches. Two reached the finals--Leon and Steve Avalos, who battled Bakersfield Foothill’s Max Odom, last year’s state champion at 130 pounds.

Odom won, 9-4, to improve to 24-0. Avalos is 33-4.

Saint assistant coach Joe Gonzalez said the two-day tournament provided valuable experience for Santa Ana, which meets Calvary Chapel in a dual meet on Wednesday.

“Everything that happened we kind of anticipated,” Gonzalez said. “But we learned we need tougher mental preparation for big-time meets like this one. A couple of kids lost because, mentally, they weren’t into that match at the time. Some of that is immaturity, and some of that’s inexperience.”

In other finals involving county wrestlers:

* Calvary Chapel’s Steve Esparza edged Fremont Mission San Jose’s Randy Katz, 2-1, in the 112-pound division. Esparza, a sophomore who is 26-5 this season, scored the winning points on a reversal in the second period.

* Villa Park’s Matt Mahoney (29-1) handed El Monte’s Noel Delgado (32-1) his first loss this season, scoring a 3-1 victory in the 189-pound division. “He edged me by a point in the [section] meet last year,” Mahoney said of Delgado. “And he figures to be my biggest competition this year.”

Poway won its third team title in the past four years, totaling 163 points, easily beating El Cahon Vahalla (141.5). Santa Ana (137.5) was third.