THE PREPS : PREP WRESTLING ROUNDUP : Capistrano Valley Defends League Title

Before the start of the South Coast League wrestling finals Thursday at San Clemente, Capistrano Valley Coach Joe Zeller seemed a little apprehensive about how well his Cougars would do.

But as the afternoon wore on, his pensive expression gradually turned to a smile.

Capistrano Valley, ranked seventh in the county, defended its South Coast League title with 171 points. The Cougars placed seven wrestlers into the championship round--and five won titles.

Before the contest, it appeared the championship might come down to the Cougars or No. 10 Mission Viejo, which last week almost beat Capistrano Valley in a dual meet.

Though five Diablos advanced to the finals, setting up a possible close meet between the two, it was apparent from the first match of the championship final it wasn’t in the script. Mission Viejo’s top 105-pounder, Estevan Bonilla, lost to Chris Teodora of Mater Dei, 6-4.

Capistrano Valley, which finished the season 6-0 in league, took it from there. Scott Elliott defeated Mission Viejo’s Chris McDonnell, 12-1, at 114 pounds.

Other Cougar wrestlers winning titles included Bryan Ysais (137), who scored a technical fall against Mike Van Der Mark of Dana Hills; Mark Stephenson (142), who beat Bao Quach of Dana Hills, 16-3; Scott McConnell (162), who beat Jeff Tibbitts, 6-3, and Andy Tuzzolino, who beat Kevin Puckett, 14-4, at 191 pounds.

Mission Viejo’s Joe Kunsch (173) and Marco Roacho won titles, with Kunsch beating Matt Lanham of Capistrano Valley, 8-1, and Roacho pinning Nate Sayer in 3 minutes 26 seconds at 132 pounds.

Aaron Greco of San Clemente defeated Capistrano Valley’s Matt Laidlaw at 154 pounds, 6-1; Bryce Manrique (127) of Mater Dei beat Gary Small, 6-5; Chris Sayer of Trabuco Hills defeated Kyle Young, 5-3, in overtime at 121 pounds and Mater Dei heavyweight Matt Karich pinned Ilan Katz of Dana Hills in 3:20.

San Clemente finished second with 135 points and Mission Viejo took third with 103 1/2 points.

The top three wrestlers in each weight class will advance to Division I Southern Section meet, which begins next Friday at El Monte High School.