El Camino Real Wins Wrestling Title : Conquistadores Retain City Crown as 4 Individuals Dominate Weight Classes

Four individual victories added up to a team title for El Camino Real High in the City Section wrestling finals Saturday at San Fernando High.

Scott Spindel, Roy Steinbock, Greg McMurray and Primitivo Ortiz won their respective weight classes as the Conquistadores pinned down their second consecutive City team title and third in the past four years.

“I’m very happy with their performance,” El Camino Real Coach Milt Goffman said. “Especially in a championship like this, you have to be happy.”

The Conquistadores, who finished with 206 points, and runner-up San Fernando (136) each qualified four wrestlers for the state championships, to be held March 3-4 at University of the Pacific’s Spanos Center in Stockton. The individual champion in each weight class advances to the state meet.

McMurray improved to 38-2 with an 8-0 decision over Valley League rival Marcus Quek of Chatsworth in the 112-pound class. It was McMurray’s third victory over Quek this season, but he wasn’t the only El Camino Real wrestler who had a good day.

The Conquistadores won back-to-back titles in the 145- and 154-pound classes as Spindel pinned Canoga Park’s John Ferris at 3:44 and Steinbock pinned Sergio Gonzales of Fremont in 4:23.

The tables were then turned on El Camino Real as Adam Kingsford took just 26 seconds to pin Marcus Ramos at 165 pounds, giving Franklin its only title.

Ortiz recorded a 10-1 decision over Matt Sankary of Birmingham in the 175-pound final to close out El Camino Real’s individual victory march.

Steve Pratt of Canoga Park executed a two-point reversal in the final seconds of the 126-pound final to prevent a fifth El Camino Real win, defeating Christian Kuhlen, 7-6. Hunter teammate Frank Lopez ran his season mark to 23-0 in claiming his second consecutive 138-pound title by shutting down James Portugal of San Fernando, 8-0.

San Fernando was wrestling for the final time at home under retiring Coach Sam De John and the Tigers almost gave De John the perfect retirement gift: a team title. Oswaldo Ramirez (98 pounds), brother Ulysses (119) and Javier Ramirez (132) each won titles.

Phil Guerrero of San Fernando also won his division, upsetting defending 191-pound champion Troy Thomas of El Camino Real with a pin at 1:10. Guerrero was carried off the mat by spectators who charged the floor after his victory.