Prep Wrestling Powers Are Still Schools in East, North Counties

When one thinks of college wrestling powers, Iowa and Oklahoma come to mind. Rural areas, big ol’ country boys. The city slickers and their big-city teams just don’t match up.

The high school wrestling picture in San Diego County is much the same. San Diego’s “Iowa” is the East County. Its “Oklahoma” is the North County. The powers hereabouts are schools such as Poway, Valhalla, Monte Vista, Mount Miguel, Granite Hills, El Camino, Escondido and Orange Glen, which all are in the county’s outlying areas.

Since the San Diego Section split from the Southern Section in 1960, only two “city” teams--Mission Bay (1962) and Serra (1982) have won team championships.

The Grossmont League has produced 18 2-A champions, including a string of 12 straight from 1965-76. The North County’s Avocado and Palomar Leagues have won 10 championships between them, including all four 3-A and 1-A titles, and two 2-A crowns.

Valhalla is the defending state champion and two-time defending 2-A champion. The Norsemen also have an individual state champ back in Mark Gerardi.

Poway has won all four 3-A section titles since the 3-A division was formed in 1981-82, and section Masters titles in 1982, ’83 and ’85. Valhalla interrupted the string in ’84.

The Masters meet combines the top team and individual finishers from the 3-A, 2-A and 1-A tournaments to determine the county’s overall team and individual champions. The top three individual finishers at the Masters qualify for the state meet.

The outlook for 1986 is more of the same. Here’s a closer look at the county’s best wrestlers:

3-A Division Poway appears to be the class of the division. That’s nothing new. They’ve ruled the large-school class since 1982 and the North County even longer. The Titans haven’t lost a league dual meet in 12 seasons in the Avocado and Palomar leagues. The only blemish on their record is a tie with Vista in 1981.

This year’s Poway team may be the best ever. Wayne Branstetter, the Titans’ coach since 1979, doesn’t even try to hide his optimism.

“This could be the best team I’ve had here,” he said. “We’ve got seven seniors who are particularly outstanding and some good, young kids coming up. Overall, we’ve got good balance and depth.”

Five of those returning seniors went to the state meet last year. Three won section titles.

Here are seven good reasons why the Titans appear invincible:

- Harold Jones (194 pounds, 16-0 this season) was a section and Masters champion last year and finished third at the state meet. He has won the Clovis, El Cajon Valley and El Toro tournaments.

- Doug Aghassi (122, 17-1) is a defending section champion. He won the El Cajon Valley Tournament this season, and his only loss was against the defending state champion at the El Toro Tournament.

- John Sargent (135, 15-1) is a defending section champion.

- Marc Frederick (141, 18-1) was second in the section, third in the Masters and fifth in the state last season.

- Trace Smith, (157, 13-1) is a defending section champ and Masters runner-up. He is wrestling at 157, he may drop to 148.

- Jessie John (167, 16-1) won the El Cajon Valley Tournament at 167 pounds, but he may drop to 157. He won the section championship and was second in the state last season.

- Ray Navarette (177, 4-1) has been injured, but is starting to come around. He was second in the section and third in the Masters last year. He may drop to 167.

Juniors Ross O’Bryant (129, 14-2) and Marty Lewis (115, 15-5) also are solid. The Titans appear vulnerable only in the lighter weight classes and the heavyweight division. But that shouldn’t be enough to dislodge Poway as section or Masters champion.

If early results are an accurate gauge, the Titans may become the second straight San Diego team to win the state championship. They won the 16-team El Toro Tournament and the 32-team Clovis Tournament and finished second in the El

Cajon Valley Tournament. However, Navarette and Smith missed the latter tourney.

Any competition Poway receives at the 3-A level likely will come from Grossmont League powers Granite Hills or Monte Vista.

Granite Hills has a young team on the rise. The Eagles are led by senior Timmy Briggs (140, 12-0), sophomore Aaron Gaeir (134, 17-0), senior Ed Voss (147, 15-3), junior Tom Vardell (191, 11-3), junior Norbert Bogacz (167, 9-4), senior Dave Diaz (heavyweight, 10-5), freshman Robbie Christian (107, 10-5) and junior Josh Thorburn (119, 12-7).

“We haven’t done that well so far,” Coach Pete Grasifi said, “but we haven’t had a full team yet, either. We’ve been hurt by illness and eligibility, but things are starting to jell.”

Monte Vista Coach Bill Clauder isn’t pleased with the way his Monarchs have done to date.

“We’ve been disappointing,” he said. “This hasn’t been one of our better teams, so far.”

Monte Vista has been historically strong. Between 1965 and 1983, it won 12 2-A championships and finished second four times. The Monarchs were second in the 3-A section final in 1984.

The best of the Monarchs are Juan White (108), a defending section champion, Jeff Hartley (156), fourth in the Masters in 1985, and Jeff Hoover (heavyweight).

Kevin Eagleton was No. 3 in the county as a 98-pounder last season, but has outgrown that weight and is struggling to be as successful in the 115-pound class.

2-A DIVISION Valhalla rates as a slight favorite to make it three in a row, but it won’t be easy. The Norsemen should get plenty of competition, mainly from El Camino, Orange Glen and San Marcos.

Valhalla is led by Gerardi, who won the state title in the 141-pound division last year as a sophomore. This year, Gerardi is 8-0 at 156 pounds and has pinned every opponent. Despite his success, he may drop to 147.

Junior Scott Stibert (134, 7-1) and seniors Rob Tennent (191-heavyweight, 12-2), Buddy Wilkerson (145, 11-3), Scott Duncan (156, 9-4) and Bob Brust (191, 8-5) give the Norsemen plenty of balance.

The Norsemen are 3-0 in dual meets, finished second at El Toro and 10th at El Cajon. However, Gerardi and Stibert missed the El Cajon Valley Tournament. Coach Glen Takahashi said his team would have placed second or third if they had wrestled.

Still, the coach isn’t pleased with his team’s progress.

“This is the most balanced team we’ve had in a long time, but the kids haven’t gotten it together yet,” he said. “We have a lot of potential, but I don’t believe we’ve done as well as we should have at this point.”

El Camino voluntarily moved up to the 2-A division this year after winning three consecutive 1-A titles.

“We think it will be better for us,” Coach Dayle Mazzarella said. “We’re as good or better than we were last year, and the 1-A division isn’t as strong as it has been. I didn’t feel it would provide us with a sufficient challenge.”

The Wildcats’ strength lies in the lower weight classes. Junior John Grubbs (101) finished fifth in the state last year and is the defending Masters champion. He’s 16-0 this season.

Senior Brian Hunt (107, 15-1) was eighth at the state meet last year. Milton Pettis (121, 9-1) was the section champion in the 114-pound division last year as a sophomore. Senior John Saenz (140, 15-1) finished second in the section final and fifth in the Masters as a junior. Junior heavyweight Mark Esposito rounds out the list of Wildcats who should be competitive.

Orange Glen Coach Dennis Zabinsky calls this year’s Patriot team “the best we’ve had,” and believes it can compete with Valhalla and El Camino.

The Patriots have three solid wrestlers in seniors Sonny Steinbaum (145), Paul Staley (175) and Doug Gann (heavyweight).

Zabinsky considers Staley and Gann to be the best in the county in their classes, and Steinbaum to be No. 2. Staley hasn’t lost in local competition and won his division at the Carlsbad and El Toro tournaments. Gann also won at Carlsbad and El Toro, and was second at El Cajon. Steinbaum was second at Carlsbad and El Toro, and third at El Cajon.

Zabinsky also believes that junior Boyd Johnson (119) and seniors David Favela (138) and David LaVine (165) could figure prominently.

San Marcos has two outstanding prospects in seniors Frank Torres (16-1) and Casey Hankin (16-1). Both have wrestled at 121 and 128 pounds.

All of Torres’ wins are pins. Hankin beat the Nos. 1 and 2 wrestlers in the 114-pound class last year, but broke an ankle near the end of the season and missed the section, Masters and state tournaments.

Coach Roger Hartman also expects big things from juniors Mike Meeker (100, 6-1), Dylan Alexander (114, 3-1) and Hector Alvarez (134), who qualified for the Masters last year, and freshman Rafael Alvarado (107, 5-1).

1-A Division With perennial powers El Camino and San Marcos having moved up to 2-A, the battle for the 1-A crown should be wide open. But if you’re picking favorites, Avocado League rivals Escondido and Ramona would be good bets.

Escondido has a young team with four freshmen, four sophomores, three juniors and two seniors.

“We’re a team of the future, but we’ve also got a good team now,” Coach Clay Clifford said. “I think we’ve got as good a chance as anyone to win our division.”

The Cougars’ top wrestler is junior Jose Martinez (147). He’s 15-2 and finished third in the El Cajon Valley Tournament.

Escondido, the 1-A runner-up the past two seasons, also has strength in seniors Mike Patstone (heavyweight, 11-2) and Ronnie McCowan (167, 3-2), and juniors Robert Malsack (191, 8-3) and Travis Bush (156, 5-4).

But Ramona Coach Pete Purdy is confident his Bulldogs will win the small schools’ crown.

“We’re going to win the section title,” he said. “We’ve got several kids capable of going to the state meet and placing. And we’ve got a young team. Next year our goal is to win the Masters.

“This is my fourth year as coach, but it’s the first year we’ve fielded a full varsity team. These kids are hungry and dedicated. They want to wrestle Poway. Keep an eye on us. We’re pointing for the CIF (section), Masters and state meets.”

Ramona’s best wrestlers are juniors Mike Kosut (98) and Gordon Wicker (135). Kosut is 6-0 and Wicker is 5-1.

Other Bulldogs to watch include seniors Mike Dreyer (138, 5-1) and Rick Johnson (177), and juniors Corey Menotti (154, 4-2) and Robb Rydeen (191).