Masters Wrestling Tournament : Five From County Win; 22 Qualify for State Meet

Because the Masters wrestling tournament is a simple means to an end--the state championships--Katella High School’s Chris Mollkoy couldn’t have been happier after winning his second match Saturday.

When Mollkoy, a 154-pounder, defeated San Luis Obispo’s Buck Hanson, 10-2, he knew he guaranteed himself a spot next Friday and Saturday at Stockton. The top six finishers at each weight in the Masters, which brings together the top six qualifiers in each of the Southern Section’s four divisions (1-A through 4-A), advance to the state tournament.

“When I got it (the second match victory) I felt just great,” he said. “That’s what I came here for, to qualify for Stockton. I said to myself, anything else is gravy.”

By the end of the Saturday’s tournament at Fountain Valley High, Mollkoy was swimming in the stuff. He won the 154-pound title, beating Newbury Park’s Chris Kilbane, who had defeated Mollkoy in the 4-A final last week.

“Because I had already clinched a berth, I was just much more relaxed,” Mollkoy said. “I think I wrestled better because of it.”

Mollkoy was one of 22 Orange County wrestlers, five of whom won titles at the Masters meet, to qualify for the state championships. Teammate Joe Pastorello won the 175-pound title, defeating Billy Hunter of Westlake, 5-2, in the final.

The most dominating performance of the day was turned in by Woodbridge’s Heath Sims at 138 pounds. Sims, defending state champion, won all four of his matches by pins. His longest stay on the mat was 5:20 against Sean Kinney of El Dorado.

“I’m wrestling really good right now,” said Sims, who is 51-1. “I’ve got my technique down, I feel sharp. I think if I can keep this up next week I should win it all again.”

El Dorado and Canyon, which placed one and two, respectively, in the 4-A team standings last week, led county schools by placing three wrestlers a piece.

Canyon’s Zach Cooper, ranked No. 1 in the state at 191 pounds, continued an impressive season when he defeated El Dorado’s Brian Tomazic, 6-3, in the final.

Five county schools--Edison, Esperanza, Katella, Savanna and Sunny Hills--each placed two wrestlers in the state meet. Savanna’s Tony Okada won the 126-pound title when he defeated Workman’s Richard Martinez, 8-4, in the final.

The two wrestlers who qualified for Esperanza--Rob Langenwalter at 119 and Dan Shaffer at 138--immediately doubled the amount of wrestlers to qualify from that school. The school’s only previous qualifier was Trevor Hargraves in the late ‘70s.

“I guess I’m greedy, because I wanted all our kids to make it,” said Chuck Bishop, Esperanza coach. Esperanza had four wrestlers competing Saturday. “But I guess I have to be very happy with sending two, since it’s twice as many as the school has ever had.”