Calvary Chapel Starts Decade With More Dominance

Calvary Chapel was the team of the 1990s in California high school wrestling. And after Saturday night’s finish at the Five Counties tournament, the Eagles look like they’re ready to put their stamp on 2000.

Calvary Chapel, which won with a team score of 211, had already locked up the title after the semifinals at Fountain Valley High.

Clovis finished second in the 55-team tournament with 156.5 points and Vista Rancho Buena Vista was third with 132.

Calvary Chapel, ranked first in the state and sixth in the nation, had four finalists.

In the 125-pound final, junior Steve Esparza gave a valiant effort against defending state champion Michael Simpson of Brethren Christian.

At first Simpson looked like he would coast, taking a 6-1 lead at the start of the second period, but Esparza came back with two escapes and a takedown to close the gap to 7-5.

Simpson, however, got two escapes in the third period, and held off an attacking Esparza to win, 9-5.

In the Eagles’ second final, Tony Aparicio had little trouble with Santa Ana’s Juan Serna at 140 pounds. Resembling more of a workout than a championship match, Aparicio used a series of takedowns and releases to rack up points and win by a major decision, 16-6.

It was a different story for the Eagles’ Adam Bones, who was pinned by Lemoore’s Chris Pendleton, who is ranked first in the state. Pendleton dominated the Calvary Chapel senior, winning the 145-pound match in 3 minutes 56 seconds.

Conan Williams, a big surprise at 171 pounds, lost, 7-3, to Ryan Halsey of Rancho Buena Vista.

Calvary Chapel had four other wrestlers medal. Andy Tufnell (160 pounds), Anthony Archuletta (103) and Fidel Archuletta (152) finished third and Frank Gill (130) finished seventh.

Competing in their third big tournament in four weeks, the Eagles have one more tournament this month in Canyon Springs. After that, Coach John Azevedo said the focus will be on the Southern Section finals.

“I think we’re exactly where we want to be,” Azevedo said. “If we can stay healthy and focused, we should be all right.”

In the other final matches, Loara’s Orlando Galvan, ranked first in the county, couldn’t hold onto his 4-2 lead going into the third period. Sal Gonzales of Merced scored two escapes to win, 6-4. Jeremy Ellis (189) also medaled for the Saxons, finishing eighth.

Santa Ana had the second-best showing by a county team, finishing seventh with 113.5 points.

Alex Bacerra, at 189 pounds, was the Saints’ second finalist, defeating Bakersfield’s Anthony Tobin, ranked first in the state, on an injury default.

Leading 5-3 in the second period, Bacerra took Tobin down, smashing Tobin’s head into the mat. The referee stopped the match.

Other Santa Ana wrestlers to medal were Gilbert Melendez, fourth at 125, and Osvalda Avalos, fifth at 145.

Villa Park had two medalists, Willie Parks at 152 pounds and heavyweight James Benton. They each finished sixth and helped the Spartans to an 18th-place finish.

Irvine, which had three medalists, finished 23rd. Heavyweight Josh Worthington finished sixth and Robert Antenore (125) and Joe Cobo (145) took seventh.