Grapplers earn final four berth

Sunset League champion Edison High advanced last Saturday to the

semifinal round of the Division II CIF Southern Section/Toyota

Division II Dual Wrestling Championships at La Sierra High in

Riverside.

The Chargers bid for the divisional title was foiled by Rosemead,

which eliminated Edison, 31-25.

The match was close the entire way and came down to the 171-pound

class. Edison’s Jake Pinkham went into overtime before giving up a

takedown in one of the tournament’s most exciting bouts.

Six Edison wrestlers were undefeated in all three of their bouts:

Garrett Drucker, Dylan Jensen, Jimmy Hynes, Mike McNeely, Blake

Allison and Romni Fuga.

The Orange County prep wrestling rankings have McNeely first, Matt

Fabre fourth, Pinkham fifth and Jensen fifth.

Edison opened the tournament with a 44-21 decision over Empire

League champion Loara.

Later in the day, the Chargers defeated perennial power Centennial

of Corona, 34-20, in quarterfinal round action.

Rosemead, champion of the Mission Valley League, finished

runner-up to North Torrance, which won the championship final, 28-27.

Esperanza, runner-up to Edison in the Sunset League, also reached

the semifinal round, falling to North Torrance.