CdM wrestling unable to end Irvine's league title streak

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Jan. 17, 2018 11:13 PM PT

The last of the undefeated wrestling teams in the Pacific Coast League clashed on Wednesday, each with a drastically different story to tell.

For Irvine High, being in position to win a league title was old hat. The Vaqueros came in as winners of seven straight league crowns, returning several CIF Southern Section Inland Division placers.

Corona del Mar, which went 1-4 in league the previous season, was a clear underdog to the Vaqueros, but a Sea Kings lineup that included seven freshmen made it surprisingly competitive.

The Sea Kings were alive to the penultimate match to go on the mat, but Irvine claimed at least a share of the league title for the eighth consecutive year with a 47-24 victory at CdM.

Senior Parker Weisrock clinched the match for Irvine, pinning freshman Seth Trachtman 39 seconds into their 220-pound bout.

“They definitely put up a fight,” Weisrock said of the Sea Kings. “Irvine is notorious for putting up big scores, getting a lot of pins, but [CdM] definitely held their own. They didn’t really make it easy.”

CdM (5-4, 3-1 in league) took a 21-18 lead at the midway point, as junior Cole Jensen pinned sophomore Greg Codilian at 145 pounds.

The next two matches would prove crucial, with Irvine (10-0, 4-0) yet to send the meat of its lineup with CIF placers like Zeke Alleman (182) and Weisrock into the action.

They wrestled their hearts out. They wrestled hard. They never gave up. They kept the pressure on Irvine, always attacking, trying to win.

— Corona del Mar coach Mark Alex

At 152, Irvine junior Max Flore defeated junior Boris Alexandrov by fall in the second period. It was a back-and-forth duel that saw each wrestler secure multiple takedowns before the pin.

CdM fell behind 24-21, but it had an opportunity to strike back in the next weight class.

The 160-pound match went to overtime, after Vaqueros junior Kyle Trout was penalized for stalling with just three seconds left in the match.

Undeterred, Trout scored the first takedown of the overtime to defeat senior Peter Hollingshead 6-4.

“I am really proud of every single wrestler,” Sea Kings coach Mark Alex said. “They wrestled their hearts out. They wrestled hard. They never gave up. They kept the pressure on Irvine, always attacking, trying to win.”

Alleman, whose father, Rob, is a wrestling official, delivered a clinical performance. The Irvine senior won his match against Chase Zanck by technical fall 17-0.

“It’s a lot of expectation,” Alleman said of following in his father’s footsteps. “It’s a lot to live up to. My dad made it to the state tournament when he was a senior in high school. It’s a legacy that I have to fulfill.”

As for clinching at least a share of Irvine’s eighth consecutive league title, Alleman said, “It’s fun being part of a winning team. It’s even more fun being able to lead it.”

CdM was down 35-21 with three matches remaining. Freshman Danny Reichner was able to keep the Sea Kings’ hopes alive, turning his 195 bout on its head with a late takedown. With his teammates shouting their support, Reichner kept Duncan Jarvis on the mat to win by decision 5-4.

“It’s been that way all year,” said Alex, whose team will finish out its league schedule with a dual meet at Woodbridge on Jan. 24. “They cheer loud. We’ve won a couple of matches this year because of good team spirit and the camaraderie. It brings out the best in everybody.”