Local Masters finalists find solace in state berth

The reputation of the CIF Southern Section Masters wrestling meet is that it exists to present the path to the state tournament.

As long as a wrestler secures a spot in the top nine to qualify, it is relatively easy to find contentment with one’s performance.

That much was true until three locals battled their way into the championship match of their respective weight classes. It quickly became a matter of pride, along with a chance to improve one’s seeding at next week’s state meet.

Emotions swelled inside of the finalists at the opportunity to make a statement right before the most important competition of the season. As quickly as they had allowed themselves to be swept up by hope, the three locals reset themselves with silver linings in sight following defeat.

Edison seniors Elijah Palacio and Jared Williams, as well as Fountain Valley freshman Max Wilner, all finished as runner-ups in the Masters on Saturday at Temecula Valley High.

In the 132-pound final, Palacio received a rematch with Corona Santiago’s Jesse Vasquez. The two had crossed paths in the semifinals of the Battle for the Belt, with Vasquez going on to win the tournament.

For the second time, Palacio was unable to stop Vasquez’s path to glory, dropping a 9-4 decision to the Santiago sophomore.

“I really wanted to knock him off, but he’s a good opponent,” Palacio said. “At the same time, I still have next week, and that is when I have to go all-out.”

Palacio looked ahead to the state meet after the match. The state tournament will be held at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield on March 2-3.

Vasquez is the top-ranked 132-pounder in the state by the California Wrestler. Chargers coach Pete Escandon said on Friday that he hoped Palacio, ranked No. 4 in the state, would get to face Vasquez.

“It’s a good thing having the No. 1 kid in our section because we want to see him before state,” Escandon said. “Win or lose, if we meet, it’s a good test for next week. The ultimate goal is just to get to next week, regardless of what place you take. Once you get there, it’s a whole new season.”

Wilner was the next local to step onto the championship mat. The freshman acquitted himself admirably against the physically-imposing Adrian Salgado of Riverside King.

Salgado, ranked seventh in the state for 145-pounders, won the match by a 3-1 decision. He scored the only takedown of the duel early in the third period.

“I have to execute better,” Wilner said. “He’s a much bigger person than me. He’s way stronger.”

Wilner then shared some wisdom that he was told by his private coach, JD Hawkins.

“It’s just collecting data for next week,” he said. “JD always says, ‘Greater later.’ I’d rather lose now and then beat them at state.”

Williams, who lost a 6-3 decision to Trabuco Hills junior Trey Munoz in the 152-pound final, took a lot of positives away from the match. He was pleased with his movement, and most of all, he was happy to be healthy at a crucial time in his senior season.

“I hurt my ankle a while ago,” Williams said. “That’s been bothering me for half the season. I have injury defaulted out of multiple tournaments.”

Williams asserted that he has been training with the goal of being ready for the last three weeks of the season, which are comprised of CIF, Masters and state. He has made it through the first two without any hiccups.

“I’ve been wrestling probably the best I have all year,” Williams added. “My coach is really proud of me that I came to show up these last two weeks.”

Fountain Valley freshman Dylan Zotea (126) did not advance, dropping his first two matches on Saturday.

CIF Southern Section Masters

At Temecula Valley High

Medal Round (Top nine placers advance to state)

106

Championship match – Prata (Downey) tech. fall Pinto (Covina Northview), 18-2.

Third-place match – Atherton (Arroyo) dec. Silva (Servite), 6-4.

Fifth-place match – Alvarez (Victor Valley) dec. Nguyen (Westminster), 6-2.

Seventh-place match – McLaughlin (Mater Dei) dec. Tadros (Corona Santiago), 5-2.

Ninth-place match – Valdoria (St. John Bosco) dec. Allred (Santa Fe), 6-1.

113

Championship match – Lorenzo (St. John Bosco) dec. Nagao (Esperanza), 8-1.

Third-place match – Ramirez (Rowland) pins Aholelei (Yorba Linda), 4:07.

Fifth-place match – Amuro (Calvary Chapel) inj. def. Ajtun (Downey).

Seventh-place match – Spangler (Sultana) inj. def. Facio (San Jacinto).

Ninth-place match – Sandoval (Santa Ynez) dec. Ruiz (Camarillo), 7-2.

120

Championship match – Flores (Covina Northview) dec. Arroyo (Calvary Chapel), 12-6.

Third-place match – Nunez (St. John Bosco) dec. Dominguez (Downey), 6-1.

Fifth-place match – Rojo (Rowland) maj. Acosta (Paloma Valley), 9-0.

Seventh-place match – Shalabi (Bloomington) maj. Hinojosa (Arroyo), 15-4.

Ninth-place match – Rodriguez (Oxnard Pacifica) dec. Holiday (Esperanza), 9-3.

126

Championship match – Belton (St. John Bosco) inj. def. Rich (Valencia).

Third-place match – Hayes (Walnut) pins Solorio (Santa Ana), 4:19.

Fifth-place match – Kroesen (Laguna Hills) inj. def. Ritchie (ML King).

Seventh-place match – Ramirez (Barstow) pins Kaveh (Aliso Niguel), 2:20.

Ninth-place match – Gould (Esperanza) dec. Morales (Downey), 8-2.

132

Championship match – Vasquez (Corona Santiago) dec. Palacio (Edison), 9-4.

Third-place match – Polanco (Bishop Amat) dec. Valencia (St. John Bosco), 3-0.

Fifth-place match – Lucero (Etiwanda) def. Garduno (Indio).

Seventh-place match – Andrade (ML King) inj. def. Miranda (Colton).

Ninth-place match – Diaz (Canyon Springs) pins Bracamontes (Villa Park), 1:46.

138

Championship match – Santiago (St. John Bosco) dec. Cortez (Northview), 3-2.

Third-place match – Wick (San Marino) dec. Orozco (Oak Hills), 3-2 (OT).

Fifth-place match – Loera (Yucaipa) def. Javier (Temescal Canyon).

Seventh-place match – Barajas (Temecula Valley) dec. Banduenga (Righetti), 7-4.

Ninth-place match – Chirinos (ML King) dec. Bollinger (Sultana), 5-0.

145

Championship match – Salgado (ML King) dec. Wilner (Fountain Valley), 3-1.

Third-place match – Cardenas (Sultana) dec. Rubio (Rialto Carter), 5-3.

Fifth-place match – Madrigal (Servite) inj. def. Alamo (Northview).

Seventh-place match – Mejia (Citrus Hill) inj. def. Lopez (Bishop Amat).

Ninth-place match – Hansen (Royal) pins Perez (San Marino), 4:56.

152

Championship match – Munoz (Trabuco Hills) dec. Williams (Edison), 6-3.

Third-place match – Mantanona (Palm Desert) def. De Haro (Temescal Canyon).

Fifth-place match – Conroy (Great Oak) def. Lopez (San Marino).

Seventh-place match – Rojas (St. John Bosco) maj. Cortez (Corona Centennial), 12-2.

Ninth-place match – Miller (Oak Hills) maj. Dourseau (Citrus Hill), 16-5.

160

Championship match – Kim (Corona Santiago) inj. def. Vargas (Sultana).

Third-place match – Goldfeder (Buckley) dec. Hill (Trabuco Hills), 4-3.

Fifth-place match – Mello (Calvary Chapel) dec. Lopez (Valencia), 15-9.

Seventh-place match – Magallanes (La Quinta) maj. Brady (Great Oak), 13-4.

Ninth-place match – Romo (West Valley) dec. McCreadie (Irvine), 6-5.

170

Championship match – Finley (Righetti) pins Pruitt (Alta Loma), 1:25.

Third-place match – Haas (St. John Bosco) inj. def. Viramontes (Hesperia).

Fifth-place match – Khanthasa (Temecula Valley) inj. def. Vasquez (Coachella Valley).

Seventh-place match – Gonzalez (Sonora) dec. Elias (Walnut), 10-4.

Ninth-place match – Carrillo (Etiwanda) dec. Wagstaff (Vista Murrieta), 7-0.

182

Championship match – Escobedo (Bishop Amat) dec. Cosio (Temecula Valley), 8-3.

Third-place match – Hernandez (Capistrano Valley) tech. fall Alleman (Irvine), 20-4.

Fifth-place match – Hanessian (Simi Valley) inj. def. Nunez (Mayfair).

Seventh-place match – Leon (Roosevelt) dec. Vargas (Hesperia), 8-5.

Ninth-place match – Reynoso (Northview) dec. Ramos (Ventura), 3-1.

195

Championship match – Voong (Arroyo) pins Jakubec (Excelsior), 2:55.

Third-place match – Barela (Northview) inj. def. Morales (Laguna Hills).

Fifth-place match – Cortez (Santa Fe) inj. def. Wake (Temecula Valley).

Seventh-place match – Rasmussen (Faith Baptist) dec. Patterson (St. John Bosco), 8-3.

Ninth-place match – Bisping (Canyon) maj. Gallegos (Murrieta Mesa), 12-4.

220

Championship match – Ray (Corona Santiago) dec. Daniel (Santa Ana), 3-2.

Third-place match – Osteen (Chaminade) def. Aranda (St. John Bosco), 7-3.

Fifth-place match – Rodriguez (Alemany) dec. Ruiz (Villa Park), 6-2.

Seventh-place match – Ramirez (Santa Fe) inj. def. Moz (Laguna Hills).

Ninth-place match – Melendez (Temecula Valley) pins Read (Great Oak), 1:51.

285

Championship match – Dacosta (Torrance) dec. Tarango (Canyon), 3-2.

Third-place match – Gonzalez (Lakewood) dec. Perez (Sonora), 2-0.

Fifth-place match – Garcia (Hesperia) def. Valdez (Arroyo).

Seventh-place match – Arriaga (Capistrano Valley) dec. Tran (Garden Grove), 1-0.

Ninth-place match – Sanchez (Montclair) pins Clay (Santa Margarita), 1:21.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner