Torrance, West Torrance Battle to Draw, 25-25

Because the Pioneer League wrestling title was on the line, Torrance High Coach Mike Liebig didn’t mind taking a chance.

With the Tartars leading, 25-15, but with only one qualifier for the last two weight classes, Liebig gambled and lost when West Torrance’s Dan Chaney scored a major decision at 189 pounds. Torrance forfeited the final bout, giving the host Warriors a 25-25 tie and a share of the 1990 league championship.

West improved to 15-2-2 overall and the Tartars finished 19-1-1. Both squads finished 2-0-1 in league competition.

Liebig’s decision to let Bob Blevins wrestle Chaney, a third-place finisher in last season’s CIF tournament, was probably a wise move. A recent shoulder injury made Chaney questionable for Thursday night’s match.

Liebig figured Blevins would fare better against Chaney than heavyweight Josh Gormley, the defending state champion.

But the plan backfired when Chaney won, 8-0.

“I thought we had a better chance of not getting pinned or maybe even end up getting a win to put it away,” Liebig said. “But we lost the major even though our kid gave it everything he got.”

The Tartars won six matches, West won four and the 140-pound bout between Torrance’s Ho Lee and Scott Herman ended up in a draw, 2-2.

Torrance’s Fernando Sanchez recorded the evening’s only pin when he flattened Matt Mohum at 3:59 in a 152-pound match.

Scoring major decisions for the Tartars were Albert Tien (103) and Chris Xavier (112), and Erick Gaunt (171) stretched his record 31-2 with a 4-0 victory. Gaunt has not been scored on in five bouts.

In addition to Chaney’s victory, the Warriors received a major decision from Jake Nilges in the 160-pound class.