That pinning touch

Bryce Alderton

Tasting a piece of the “pin” pie became routine for every Costa

Mesa High wrestler who faced an Estancia Eagle Thursday in a Golden

West League dual meet on the Estancia mats.

Five forfeits were the only points the Eagles scored against the

Mustangs, 13-3, 3-0 in league, in a 52-29 Mesa victory, taking back

the city title after Estancia won, 48-27 a year ago. All six Mustangs

who wrestled pinned their opponents, the quickest in just 31 seconds

by senior Mike Simonoff at 160 pounds.

Sophomore Joe Amburgey wrestled up from his usual 189 spot to 215

against Estancia senior Landon Pulizzi. Estancia didn’t have a

wrestler at 189, but Costa Mesa didn’t have one at 215, so Amburgey

moved up so he and Pulizzi could wrestle. The sophomore needed five

minutes after getting ahead, 20-6 in the third period, to pin

Pulizzi, who was only wrestling for the second time.

Mesa’s Adam Garcia pinned in 1:54 at 171 while junior Christian

Rivero (125) won in 3:55 over Estancia sophomore Cayley Carr, who

wrestled in place of senior Victor Carmona.

Carmona was sidelined with a hip bruise along with what Eagles’

Coach Steve Perez called “cauliflower ear.” The ear ailment occurs

when water and blood below the cartilage mix together and dry up,

causing pain.

Perez expects Carmona to return for the Eagles’ appearance at a

tournament in San Clemente this weekend.

First-year wrestler Sergio Cabrera (135) pinned his opponent in

1:57 and senior Jesse Franco (145) got one takedown for two points

before getting the fall in 41 seconds.

“I was really happy with (Cabrera),” said first-year Mesa Coach

Brett Shainfeld. “He was on the attack the whole time, being

aggressive. It’s great to see. Amburgey also wrestled well. Everyone

stepped up to the plate.”

Shainfeld didn’t plan on using the five wrestlers he held out

Thursday that included junior Silvio Estrada, who is 26-4 this

season. A CIF rule limits wrestlers to 40 matches before league

finals begin.

Estancia lost its third dual meet in a rebuilding season, Perez

said. Carmona is the team’s only senior.

“(Carmona) is the only varsity wrestler we have,” Perez said. “A

lot of my guys have to move up from frosh-soph and junior varsity to

wrestle at the varsity level. All my guys who should be wrestling

either didn’t have the grades or didn’t come out. But you have to

deal with it. It’s not something new.”

Carmona took second place in the 125’s in a tournament at

Northwood High in Irvine last weekend. He won on two pins and a major

decision before losing in the finals, 20-11, to an opponent from

Mission Viejo.