Masters Meet hopes fade for La Cañada wrestling
Hopes were high for the La Cañada High wrestling team heading into Saturday’s second day of the CIF Southern Section Inland Division Wrestling Championships at Temecula Valley High.
The Spartans advanced four of their 12 wrestlers past a grueling first day and looked to break a one-year hiatus in advancing at least one wrestler to the following week’s CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at Ontario Citizens Bank Arena.
Unfortunately for the Spartans, the drought extended for another year as none of their grapplers posted a top-five finish needed to earn automatic qualification and the Spartans’ season came to an official end.
“Hey, the future is bright for us, that’s the good news,” La Cañada Coach Justin Luthey said. “It’s a little disappointing obviously not to qualify a wrestler to Masters. But this is a group that will mostly be back next year and we’ll try again.”
La Cañada pinned its hopes on the quartet of seniors Andrew Aghadjanians and David Vardanian and juniors Ben Donoho and Lyndon Forest.
Donoho turned in his team’s best finish, as he placed seventh with a 4-2 record at 160 pounds.
Donoho advanced past Friday with a 2-1 mark that included a pin over Bassett’s Tommy Meza and a loss to third-seeded Kaimana McCreadie of Irvine, 4-3.
Donoho began in the consolation bracket on Saturday and topped Corona Del Mar’s Jewlian Avila, 18-6, before being pinned by Northview’s Brando Reynoso in 53 seconds. Donoho won his last bout, 8-3, over Raqueal Wagstaff.
La Cañada’s last Masters Meet qualifier was David Vardanian, who advanced during his sophomore year at 220 pounds.
Two seasons later, Vardanian came up short in the heavyweight division as he finished 3-2.
Perhaps Vardanian’s best effort came in a loss, as he led top-seeded Jackson Serna of Northview, 5-4, after two rounds before losing, 7-6.
Aghadjanians also lost in his first 145-pound bout on Saturday, 6-4, to Northview’s Zach Cunningham to finish a 2-2 run that included a first-round pin of San Dimas’ Damien Ellis in 54 seconds.
Likewise, La Cañada junior 195-pounder Lyndon Forest ended his tournament run with a 2-2 record.
Forest dropped his first elimination bout Saturday, but did have a nice fall over Etiwanda’s Jerrell Shavers in 3:20 on Friday.
All other La Cañada wrestlers had their seasons end Friday.
La Cañada freshman Eric David opened with a 14-3 victory over Ganesha’s Richard Valderama in the 113-pound division before suffering back-to-back losses and ending with a 1-2 run.
Similarly, La Cañada sophomore Aram Beshid commenced with a pin over Nipomo’s Nick Gonzales in 3:52 before surrendering two straight falls.
Spartans senior 152-pounder Jake Harb ended his career with a 1-2 record. Harb pinned Damien’s Liam McNair in 1:59 before dropping decisions, 12-0 and 7-5, and being eliminated.
Sophomore Johnny Vasily opened with a bye at 170 pounds before being pinned.
Vasily recovered by registering a fall over Damien’s David Alba in 2:43. The win was followed by a 4-2 loss in the next round.
Junior Colman Trulik also posted a 1-2 record. The 182-pounder picked up a 14-0 major decision over University’s Jack Hausman.
The win was followed by a 9-1 loss and a pin against Trulik in the consolation bracket.
La Cañada sophomores Cameron Carey (132 pounds) and William Henderson (138) finished 0-2.
