For Poway, A Pleasant Surprise

One coach was pleased with his team’s performance at the Masters Wrestling tournament Saturday at Mira Mesa High Saturday.

The other coach had hoped for better.

At the start of the season, with only three wrestlers returning to his lineup, Poway Coach Wayne Branstetter thought this would be a rebuilding year.

So advancing just four to Masters finals made Branstetter happy. The Titans crowned three champions and will take seven to the state tournament Friday and Saturday in Stockton.

“We got a lot out of our kids. People don’t know that,” Branstetter said. “They just expect us to be good.”

Valhalla Coach Glen Takahashi, on the other hand, wasn’t as pleased that only five Norsemen will travel to Stockton.

“I thought eight would go, (judging) just by what the kids did during the year,” Takahashi said.

Valhalla crowned three champions of the five who advanced to the finals.

Valhalla’s 119-pound Patrick Mack and 160-pound Jason Hendrick will each be making their third trips to state.

Hendrick, who is No. 1 ranked, took third last year and fifth as a sophomore. He claimed his third Masters title and last week won his third section title.

“By order, he should win it this year,” Takahashi said. “Obviously we think he’s got a good chance to win it, and so does everyone else in the state.”

Hendrick defeated Chula Vista’s Mario Lopez, 10-2, to improve to 44-1. He said he likes the No. 1 ranking and thinks it could help him at state.

“I think I can benefit from it,” Hendrick said. “The other years I’ve met the top guy in the quarterfinals.”

Poway’s Bryon Campbell (36-2) posted four pins en route to the 145-pound title and the Most Valuable Wrestler award. He pinned Jeremy Hendrick, Jason’s brother, in 2:45 in the finals.

Other Titan winners were 152-pound Isaac Romberg and heavyweight Corey Farkas, who defeated Tim Ryan of San Marcos, 12-1.

San Pasqual 112-pound senior Brett Castillo earned his third trip to state by defeating Serra’s Ikaika Molina, 5-4. Castillo, who placed second at state last year at 105, is ranked first in the state at 112.