CdM wrestling gets revenge in rematch with Western in CIF Division 6 final

Corona del Mar's Antonio Aramburu, right, throws Western's Isaiah Mota in the CIF Duals Division 6 final on Wednesday night.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Feb. 3, 2022 2:56 PM PT

ANAHEIM — Some believe it to be tougher to repeat as a champion than it is to become one.

The Corona del Mar High School wrestling team bore witness to that in June, when it attempted to win back-to-back titles in the CIF Southern Section dual meet wrestling championships.

A runner-up plaque came home with the Sea Kings that day, the loss to Western providing motivation to those who remained with the program at the end of that school year.

Corona del Mar returned to Western on Wednesday, and the Sea Kings got the revenge they were looking for with a 35-33 win over the Pioneers in the Division 6 final.

Corona del Mar's JJ Strapp and Western's Angelo Andrade battle for position during the 126-pound match in the CIF Duals.

“It was a little bit of déjà vu coming here, pulling up on the bus,” said JJ Strapp, a junior 126-pounder for CdM who started the match with a win by major decision. “Definitely got the nerves going from last year and just thinking about that second-place [plaque] that is hanging in our room, using that for motivation every day. I think it was a great match. I think Western really put in [the work], but we were just on top.”

The Sea Kings have now made three consecutive CIF finals appearances, winning in 2020 against Montebello 48-23 and losing to Western 40-21 last season.

Seven of the 14 wrestlers who competed in the previous final against Western (16-1) were again on the mat on a big stage. Three of them — Luke Villaluz, Brendan Muse and Strapp — have been a part of all three of those teams for CdM (14-1).

Corona del Mar's Eugenio Franco drives Western's Gerardo Orozco to the mat for the eventual pin during the CIF Duals.

“They’re just leaders,” said Antonio Aramburu, a sophomore 145-pounder who also won his match by major decision. “They improve the team. When someone’s not doing something that they’re supposed to do, they push them. … They just build everyone up.”

Corona del Mar jumped out to a 24-0 lead through the first five weight classes, each match scoring additional points beyond the three awarded for a decision. Zion Hernandez capped that run with a pin at 152 pounds, while Loscar Riestra (132 pounds), Strapp and Aramburu all won by major decision.

“They were fired up, ready to win,” CdM coach Mark Alex said of his team. “They wanted to win. They remember last year’s loss a lot, and they were not going to let that happen again, so they went out with a passion to just win and score bonus points.”

The Corona del Mar bench erupts in cheer as CdM's Anthony Leon turns Western's Alejandro Hernandez during the CIF Duals.

After Anthony Gonzalez (182) recorded a technical fall and Eugenio Franco (195) polished off a first-period pin, the Sea Kings were on the cusp of victory.

The championship was clinched when Anthony Leon avoided getting pinned in the 220-pound bout, which went to Western’s Alejandro Hernandez by a 7-2 decision.

“Tony not getting pinned and Porter Sharp not getting pinned were the keys, those two guys,” Alex said. “That was six points they could have had, but they didn’t get them. … I knew we had to get to a big lead because I knew they were strong in the bottom half of the lineup tonight.”

CdM coach Mark Alex holds the championship trophy with his team after winning the CIF Duals Division 6 wrestling title.

The Sea Kings had clinched the match in just the nick of time, as the Pioneers earned the maximum 24 points over the final four weight classes to tighten the margin. Paulino Lazaro (106), Eduardo Medel (113) and Isaac Gonzalez (120) all had pins for Western, while Michael Horta received a walkover in the heavyweight division.

“It’s been special,” Western coach Jaime Flores said of his team’s back-to-back finals appearances in the CIF Duals. “It’s not over. We’ve got [CIF] individuals. It wasn’t our goal, but we’ll keep moving forward. What’s done is done. We’ve got a great group of kids coming back next year right behind them, so we’ll hopefully be in this situation again.”