STATE WRESTLING : Poway, With No Finalists, Slips to Third-Place Finish

Both of the San Diego County finalists came up short, and Poway slipped from first place to third on the second and final day of the state wrestling tournament at University of the Pacific.

Escondido’s Brett Castillo suffered an injury and defaulted the 105-pound final to Erin Razo of Trinity. And Mission Bay’s Dareke Fleming was beaten, 10-2, by West Torrance’s Josh Gormley in the heavyweight final.

Poway’s Tony Matteucci lost to Arroyo’s Can Tran, a defending state champion, in the 98-pound semifinals, 12-0. Tran went on to win his second consecutive title, beating Washington’s Andy Munoz, 9-1.

Matteucci moved to the consolation bracket and lost in the third-place match to El Rancho’s Phil Sanchez, 5-3.

Poway had entered Saturday leading the team standings after three rounds of competition at Pacific’s Spanos Center with 47.5 points. But the Titans finished third with 66.5 points, to 78.5 for champion Clovis and 73 for Ukiah. Clovis previously had won three consecutive state championships beginning in 1974.

Valhalla finished with 35.5 points, Mission Bay with 29.5.

Poway qualified 12 of a possible 13 wrestlers for the meet, but only Matteucci reached the semifinals, and the Titans gradually lost their lead.

In other third-place matches, Marco Ahlgren of Rancho Buena Vista defeated Ronnie Long of Temecula Valley, 6-3, at 138 pounds, and Jason Hendrick of Valhalla beat John Smith of J. Logan, 8-4, at 154.

Poway’s Art Kimble (191 pounds) lost in the fifth-round match to Ivy Calvin of Burroughs, 4-3.

Poway’s David Koch lost to Clovis West’s Brian Roach in the seventh-place match, 10-3.