Southern Section Wrestling : Four County Wrestlers Win in 2-A

Orange County proved itself something of a wrestling powerhouse at the Southern Section 2-A championships at Nogales High School Saturday by placing three schools in the top 10 and producing four individual champions.

Atascadero won the team championship before the final round started and finished with 118 1/2 points. Laguna Hills was second with 91, Buena Park was third with 88 1/2 and Mater Dei finished fifth with 78 1/2.

Heath Sims of Woodbridge, a state champion last year in the 132-pound division, won the 138-pound division with a pin of Mater Dei’s Troy Monge with 1 minute 45 seconds left in the second period.

“I had seen him wrestle before, but I never wrestled him,” Sims said. “I thought he would be a little stronger.”

Sims seemed to wear down Monge, who had an attacking style but had difficulty maintaining advantages against Sims.

Sims was stronger and has wrestled in the 145- and 154-pound divisions this year.

Three other county wrestlers won their weight titles: Greg Andres of Sunny Hills (105), Brian Bertrand of Buena Park (126) and Gabino Aguilar of Orange (132).