Wrestling: Harbor takes four matches, but loses

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - It wasn’t a victory, but for Newport Harbor High

wrestling coach Dominic Bulone there was still plenty of reason to smile

during Tuesday night’s Sea View League loss to Aliso Niguel.

The Wolverines (8-10, 3-1 in league) left Harbor with a 55-17 victory,

but the Tars and their fans made sure they would remember the Sailors’

gym.

“This is probably the biggest turnout in the two years I’ve been

here,” Bulone said. “It’s really rewarding. The crowd was very nice.

There was a lot of enthusiasm.”

Even Harbor’s cheerleading squad was present to root for the Sailor

wrestlers. Harbor (3-17, 0-4 in league) won four matches and lost three

by forfeit.

Harbor freshman Kevin Lim (103 pounds) began the reason for the noise.

He won by decision over Nick Lechiara 6-1.

Then, in the 119-pound weight class, Bruce Lim really got the crowd

going. Fresh off his second-place finish at the 20-team Troy Tournament,

Bruce Lim won with a technical fall. He scored seven takedowns, four in

the first period, on his way to a 21-6 victory.

Bulone expects Bruce Lim, who has a 24-3 individual record, to make

the CIF playoffs by winning the title at the Sea View League finals on

Saturday.

Sailors Sophomore John Archer (140) came back from five points down to

gain the lead and pin Rick Zakhar with 32 seconds remaining in the second

period. With 1:10 remaining, Archer scored a reversal and then covered

Zakhar as the Harbor fans erupted.

Tars senior Frankie Rodriguez also won by pin. He built a 9-6 lead and

then covered Travis Barnes for the fall with 23 seconds remaining in the

second period.

Harbor’s Kevin Potter (135) could have won by forfeit because he was

illegally slammed and injured during his match. But, he chose to

continue. He would’ve been awarded a victory if he would have told the

official he was too hurt to carry on.

“(Potter) has a lot of heart,” Bulone said.