Wrestling: Only five can repeat themselves at Masters

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Seven underclassmen won CIF Southern Section Masters Meet wrestling titles last season, but there will be no more than five repeat champions after this year’s event Friday and Saturday at Carter.

Sultana senior Jarrod Brooksher appeared to be well on his way to defending his Masters title in the 145-pound weight class, having already clinched his fourth Mojave River crown in late January. But his high school career came to a premature end with a knee injury at the Division I Dual Meet championships the following weekend.

The other six defending champions -- Northview’s Steven Salinas at 112, South Hills’ Thomas Williams at 119, Santa Fe’s Marcus Orona at 119, Santa Monica’s Sami Syed at 130, El Modena’s Vinny Pisani at 135 and Temecula Valley’s Jake Meredith at 171 -- are all scheduled to take the mat this weekend.

Which, of course, could set up a great showdown at 119. Orona, the 119-pound champion a year ago, is the top-ranked wrestler in the Southern Section; Williams, who was the winner at 112 last season, is right behind at No. 2. Orona is also on top in the state rankings; Williams is No. 3. Both of them wrestled at 119 in the Five Counties tournament this season, with Orona taking first and Williams finishing third, but they did not one another in a match.

-- Chuck Schilken, guest blogger

-- Image from www.wrestlingsbest.com.