HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS : Valhalla Wins 2-A Title in Section Wrestling

At the start of the 119-pound match, Valhalla Coach Glen Takahashi took a seat in the corner of the mat. Through the next nine weight classes, Takahashi stayed put and watched six of his 10 wrestlers win their final matches of the 2--A section championships Saturday at Vista High School.

The top five finishers in each weight class advanced to Masters tournament next weekend at Mira Mesa.

Valhalla, which will send 11 wrestlers to Masters, won the tournament with 257 1/2 points. Monte Vista, which crowned two champions and will take 12 wrestlers to Masters, finished second with 246 1/2 points.

Grossmont (124) finished third, Helix (103) fourth and El Cajon Valley (101) fifth.

Pat Mack, Valhalla’s 119-pounder, won his second consecutive section title by pinning Grossmont’s Todd Bell in 5:52.

Valhalla’s Jeremy Hendrick handed Vista senior Aron Welk a 13-5 decision at 145 pounds. He scored three takedowns and a three-point near fall to take control in the second period.

At 154, Jeremy’s twin brother, Jason, pinned Carlsbad’s David Harrid in 4:39.

Monte Vista’s Ron Cottrell defeated Valhalla’s John McKay, 7-2, at 165 pounds. Cottrell, who wrestled at both 154 and 165 this year, had wrestled at 154 the last two meets but decided Tuesday to move back up after finding himself dehydrated after wrestling.

In a close match at 175, Valhalla’s Mark Beeson, defeated Monte Vista’s Jim Ballow, 6-4. Beeson, a sophomore has compiled a 36-3 record with 25 pins.