Laguna Hills Wrestling Tournament : Los Alamitos’ Depth Proves Just Too Much for Marina

Three Los Alamitos High School wrestlers took first places--two with pins--to lead the Griffins to the championship of the Laguna Hills Invitational Wrestling Tournament Saturday night at Laguna Hills.

Los Alamitos clinched the tournament when Leonard Fontanez (134 pounds) defeated George Nosis of El Segundo, 18-14. The Griffins edged Marina, 155.5-151, though the Vikings had five of six wrestlers win in the finals. Laguna Hills finished third at 147.

Los Alamitos Coach Jim Swieter, whose team (2-2, 12-7) is fighting for the lead in the strong Empire League, said the Griffins were fortunate to win the tournament.

“I didn’t expect us to do that well because we had five guys out with injuries,” he said. “But it was nice to get some younger guys in the finals.”

Marina Coach Paul LaBlanc, who used only 9 of 12 possible wrestlers--one missed the team bus and two didn’t make weight--said he was encouraged by his team’s performance. The Vikings (1-2 in the Sunset League and 10-8 overall) dominated the bigger weight classes, winning the 167, 193 and heavyweight competition.

“We had as many finalists as Los Al with only nine guys,” La Blanc said. “I really can’t complain. We were fortunate to be as close to Los Al as we were.”

In fact, La Blanc said, the Vikings could have won the tournament had Joe Whitmarsh (100) won his third-place semifinal. Whitmarsh lost a tough match in overtime to Santiago’s Louis Escanuela, 3-2. A victory would have earned the team 5 1/2 points and the title.

Los Alamitos was simply too deep for the Vikings. Besides Fontanez’s victory, the Griffins were led by Willy Hawthorne (100), who pinned El Modena’s Matt Tebrich 3:08 into the final, and Scott Meyer (121), who pinned Mission Viejo’s Kelly Miller at 2:55.

Marina’s five champions were: Bryson Benninger (128), who beat Los Alamitos’ Jason Litty, 4-0; John Taylor (147), who beat Los Alamitos’ Marcus Garcia, 6-3; David Vennes (167), who pinned Laguna Hills’ Ed Roberts at 5:12; Ryan Flores (193), who pinned Mission Viejo’s Tom Howard at 4:15, and heavyweight Michael Jepsen, who beat Tustin’s Phillip Fogleson, 8-5.

Laguna Hills was led by Andy Watkins (107), who beat Santos Escanuela of Santiago, 5-2, and Brian Lorentz (114), who pinned Marina’s Dennis Casey at 3:42.

Lorentz was named outstanding wrestler in the lightweights, and Marina’s Vennes was named the top wrestler more than 147 pounds.