Varnum Plays the Heavy as Rio Hondo Pins Moorpark

Heavyweight James Varnum of Rio Hondo College knew his team’s wrestling match with Moorpark on Wednesday would probably be decided in his bout--the 10th and final of the night.

Behind the Rio Hondo bench, Varnum quietly watched Moorpark take a big lead in the early matches, then saw his team rally in the middle bouts.

When his time came, the match was still undecided.

So he took it upon himself to win the match.

Varnum pinned Moorpark’s Ali Rahnarvardi midway through the second period, providing the exclamation point to Rio Hondo’s come-from-behind, 27-18 win over host Moorpark in a Western States Conference match.

The victory gives Rio Hondo (10-1, 4-0) at least a share of the league title. If Cypress College upsets Rio Hondo on Wednesday in the league finale, Rio Hondo, Cypress and Moorpark (5-3-1, 3-1) in a three-way tie for the conference crown.

“Our coach told me that it would probably be me and him for the match,” Varnum said. “Our heavy guys had to make up some ground.”

Rio Hondo played the heavy role to the hilt, as Moorpark’s Keith Hernandez, Ray Esparza and Paul Delgado each won their matches, giving the Raiders a 16-0 lead.

Then Rio Hondo began dominating.

Rio Hondo didn’t lose any of the final seven matches, erasing the deficit, but held just a slim 21-18 lead entering the final bout.

Moorpark Coach John Keever knew his team was in trouble.

“The middleweights were critical for us tonight,” Keever said. “We knew that we were very strong in the lower weight classes, but we had to win in the 167 and 177-pound divisions.”

The way the Raiders lost was especially hard for Keever.

“We had two guys out injured who were ranked in the top 10 in the state,” he said.

Among Keever’s missing on Wednesday were Eric Cortez, who placed eighth in the state last season as a freshman, and Brian Bennett, who placed fifth in the state meet last year. Both were sidelined with separated shoulders.

After Delgado pinned Mark Jardino to give Moorpark a 16-0 lead, Rio Hondo came back when Eddie Solis pinned Moorpark’s Steve Fuess and Eric Espinal decisioned Mark Borrego, closing the deficit, 18-14.

In the 177-pound class, the seventh match of the night, John Geanakos beat Moorpark’s Ross Boomhower as Rio Hondo pulled to within a point at 18-17.

Then the heavies took over.

Randy Quinton destroyed Brian Thulin and Varnum won the final match as Rio Hondo jeopardized any hope of Keever’s 12th league championship in 18 seasons at the Raider helm.

Keever said the injuries are what made the difference.

“I really think that if we were healthy, we could have taken the league,” he said. “The way we start with out lighter-weight players, we just don’t have the guys who would normally be there to keep it going.”

It was the well-seasoned Rio Hondo beef that was the deciding factor on Wednesday.

“Varnum has really improved from last year,” a disappointed Keever said after the match. “That year of seasoning has really helped make him a better wrestler.

“He has turned into a pretty good heavy.”

And Varnum obviously knows how to play the role.