Wrestling: Sailors own Newport-Mesa District
Coach Dominic Bulone stood on the mat, next to a stand showcasing a framed golden singlet. His Newport Harbor High wrestling team was competing for the singlet on Tuesday, as well as the top prize at the Newport-Mesa District Championships.
On paper, Bulone said his Newport Harbor should sweep both, the Battle of the Bay rivalry match against rival Corona del Mar and the title as the top program in the area. The Sailors went into the Newport-Mesa District Championships, a dual meet featuring all four local schools, as the favorites.
On the mat, Newport Harbor proved it was the best. The Sailors claimed the event, first beating Estancia, 66-10, then Costa Mesa, 60-13, and finally CdM, 60-15.
The event organizers matched up Newport Harbor and CdM, and Costa Mesa and Estancia at the end. The rivals went at it. The Battle of the Bay on one mat and the Battle for the Bell on another mat, all of it taking place inside one venue, Costa Mesa.
The Sailors owned the one-day event. Seven of their wrestlers went 3-0. The one with the most impressive day was heavyweight Valdemar Gomez.
Gomez pinned two of his opponents, 33 seconds into the one against Estancia’s Jose Cifuentes and at the 1:01 mark against CdM’s Garrett Cleary. The final one is what got Newport Harbor all fired up. Gomez beat Cleary, ranked No. 3 in Orange County, for the first time.
Gomez gave Cleary a taste of his own medicine.
“I got head and armed [by Cleary], but I fought it, and I head and armed him,” Gomez said.
Gomez helped Newport Harbor (9-3) knock off CdM for the fifth straight season. The Sailors other undefeated wrestlers were Harrison Reich (145 pounds), Ethan Zimmerman (152), Jon Chavez (160), Fred Dennison (182), David Santos (195) and Drew Dobbs (220).
While the Sea Kings lost to Newport Harbor, they finished second at the Newport-Mesa District Championships, going 2-1. The Sea Kings defeated Costa Mesa, 47-35, and Estancia, 54-23.
The three wrestlers finishing 3-0 for CdM were 106-pounder Alex Denisov, 126-pounder Dima Solenko and 170-pounder Riad Ben Ahmed.
“Unfortunately, I have lots of forfeits tonight,” said CdM Coach Mark Alex, whose team didn’t have a wrestler in the 113, 138 and 152 classes. “I had a couple of injuries. I had a couple of guys miss weight. I’m already giving [Newport Harbor] 18 points. Before it starts, we’re losing 18-0.”
In the matchup between Costa Mesa and Estancia, the Mustangs prevailed, 44-24.
Nelson Vasquez, a 120-pounder, stood out for the Mustangs. He was the team’s lone 3-0 finisher.
“It feels good,” Costa Mesa Coach Adam Marquez said of beating Estancia for the second time this season. “Last week was the first time we beat them during my four years at Costa Mesa.”
Estancia, which won last season’s Newport-Mesa District title, is low on numbers this season.
“We had a lot of kids quit this year,” said Estancia Coach Eric Romm whose team had to forfeit the 106, 120, 126, 145, 152, 160 and 170 classes. “A lot of returners that I thought were going to step up, didn’t want to wrestle anymore [for] one reason or another, either they moved, [suffered an] illness, or grades [got in the way], a lot of different excuses.
“We don’t have the numbers the like the rest of the teams, but individually we’re doing fine. We’re finding success on an individual level.”
The Eagles’ top wrestler was Benjamin Navarrete. The junior wrestled up a class, at 132 pounds, and went 3-0.
His third win avenged last week’s close setback at home to Costa Mesa’s Mauricio Orellana. Navarrete defeated Orellana this time around.
“It’s nice to see all these people here supporting,” Navarrete said.
A nice little crowd showed up for the second straight Newport-Mesa District Championships. Bulone, as do the other coaches involved, hopes it continues.
“I love it,” said Bulone, who was around for the inaugural event in 2002. “We got four quality wrestling programs in our district. It’s great to get us all together, get some matches in and battle.”
