El Camino Real Outlasts Alemany : Conquistadores Rally to Win Marathon Wrestling Tournament

Alemany High wrestling Coach Dennis Henderson shouted and waved his arms throughout approximately 40 matches Saturday at the Alemany Invitational.

When it was over, he shook his fist--just a little shake, a third-place shake.

El Camino Real won the tournament with 188 points after Alemany (156 points) held a one-point lead over the Conquistadores going into the championship round. Mater Dei finished second with 159 points in the 19-team tournament.

The Indians sent three wrestlers into the championship round, but only 168-pound Gary Olacsi won.

Lewis Carmona, Alemany’s 108-pounder, who finished second in the Southern Section last year, trailed, 10-0, before he was pinned late in the third period in his last match. Sergio Castenada, at 129, had similar luck, losing, 7-6, to Neil Mason of Agoura on a reversal with 15 seconds left in his championship match.

“We pulled our courage together at the end,” said El Camino Real wrestler Jason Emmard, holding the first-place trophy high above his head. “It was close all the way but we held together and did this as a team.”

El Camino Real’s Ed Murray improved his record to 23-5 by defeating Carmona. Carl Hasz of El Camino Real (134), lost to Mater Dei’s Pete Moge in a championship match.

Serge Mezheritski of Birmingham moved up one weight division to 134 to face Greg Jackson of Santa Monica, who placed fifth in state last year. Jackson, 17-0 this year, eked out a 6-4 win.

Troy Word of Chatsworth recorded a pin in the first period to win the 147-pound division against Mike Moge of Mater Dei. “I thought I was wrestling a full-on animal,” Word said. “But when I got him in the air and pulled back his neck I knew it was over.”

Beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m., the tournament was an endurance test. Wrestlers had to win four matches to advance to the championship round.

“It was a long, tiring day,” Castenada said. “I had to take two cold showers to revive myself before matches. In the matches at the end of the day, you tend to tire a little quicker--much quicker.”