MASTERS WRESTLING : Poway Sends 12 Wrestlers to State Meet

The Poway wrestling team continues to amaze Coach Wayne Branstetter.

Last week at the San Diego Section 3-A Tournament, Poway set records for most points scored in the meet and for most champions with eight.

Saturday at the Masters Tournament at Mira Mesa High, Poway advanced 12 wrestlers to next week’s state meet, breaking the previous state record of 10 the Titans sent in 1986, the year they won the state title. The only weight that will not be represented by Poway at this state meet is 105 pounds.

Branstetter said that in 1986, the team set its sights on a state title from the very beginning. This year, Branstetter calls it a “Cinderella story”.

He said his team concentrated on one meet at a time, first winning the Palomar League, then the section and then the Masters. “I never thought we’d have this many go,” Branstetter said. “I thought maybe seven or eight.”

Poway, which won its ninth Masters title in 10 years, advanced seven wrestlers to the championship round. Second-place Valhalla put three wrestlers in the finals and advanced six to the state. Monte Vista rounded out the top three teams.

The finals started well behind schedule Saturday night, so final results were not available.

“It’s almost embarrassing how well Poway did,” Valhalla Coach Glen Takahashi said. “Even Wayne said so. They wrestled up a storm and deserve all the attention they’re getting.”

Takahashi said he thought Valhalla would advance at least eight to state and that he had told his team earlier last week Valhalla could take the 11 (the number it had in the Masters).

“Obviously, I’m very disappointed with our performance today,” Takahashi said.

One thing that hurt Valhalla was a rib injury to Chappie Hunter in the semifinal match at 132. Hunter, seeded second in the meet, had a good chance at placing at state, Takahashi said.

Hunter, who had previously injured his ribs at the Grossmont League meet, defaulted his semifinal and was taken from the meet on a stretcher by paramedics.

Another defeat greatly affecting Valhalla was Jeremy Hendrick’s 3-2 loss to Shawn Bankes of El Cajon Valley in the 145-pound semifinals. Hendrick had defeated Bankes three times.

“A lot of it was green inexperience,” Takahashi said. “Most coaches believe Jeremy’s the best at that weight. He just let the pressure get to him.

Branstetter said it’s gratifying for him to be sending all seven seniors to state. Of those, only two have gone to state: Art Kimble (191) and David Koch (132).

In the semifinals, Poway heavyweight Corey Farkas defeated Dareke Fleming of Mission Bay by criteria in overtime. Fleming, who had suffered his first loss of the season last week in the championships of the 1-A section meet, is ranked first in the state.

After a 4-4 regulation match and three scoreless overtime periods, the victory was given to Farkas on the first criteria of most back points. Farkas scored a two-point near-fall early in the match.

Farkas lost to top-seeded Eric Johnson of Orange Glen, 8-4, in the championship match.

Mission Bay’s Manny Martinez will go into the state meet with a perfect 39-0 record. Martinez defeated Tom Chorman (39-5-1) of Monte Vista, 3-0, in the finals.

At 191 pounds, Phil Martinez of Carlsbad defeated Poway’s Kimble, 4-3.