PREP WRESTLING SOUTHERN SECTION MASTERS MEET : Barajas Finds Comfort in Championship Win

Last week, the gym was suddenly a lonely place for Valo Barajas, a senior wrestler at Channel Islands High.

The throng of teammates who had provided comforting support all season long were absent. Their seasons had ended with the Southern Section 4-A Division championships last week, leaving Barajas with only two other Channel Islands wrestlers for company.

The three qualified last week for Saturday’s Masters Meet at Fountain Valley High, but Barajas fared best, winning the 112-pound division championship with a 16-9 decision over Wray Mamaril of Bishop Amat.

Heda Kuwata, a senior at Channel Islands, lost the third-place match at 145 pounds to Ronnie Long of Temecula Valley, 7-1. T. R. Merickel, also a senior, defeated Eliazar Ortiz of Bell Gardens, 2-1, in overtime in the 119-pound fifth-place match.

Barajas, Kuwata and Merikel qualified for next week’s state meet at Stockton.

The top six wrestlers in 13 weight divisions advanced to the state meet, which will begin Friday at the University of the Pacific’s Spanos Center.

Todd Hoult of Agoura (third at 189 pounds), Jeremy Pratt of Newbury Park (fourth at 140) and Scott Adams of Ventura (fifth at 189) also qualified.

Barajas, who won the 4-A title last week, improved his record to 52-2, overwhelming Mamaril in the third period.

“This was a good test for me,” Barajas said. “I felt good coming into the meet. I’ve been trying to polish my technique, trying to refine it and get mentally pumped for (the Masters) meet.”

But that was difficult without the usual gym full of teammates.

“It was weird,” he said. “I didn’t have the whole team to work with.”

This will be Barajas’ first state meet. Last season, his season ended at the Morro Bay tournament when he suffered a pinched nerve in his neck.

“I’m really happy,” he said of qualifying for the state meet. “This was my goal. I’m looking forward to it. That’s the big one.”

Last week, Barajas defeated Henry Alterado of Calexico, 3-0. Kuwata was the runner-up to Danny Santana of El Modena, losing, 4-2. Merickel defeated Jesse Espinoza of Indio in the final, 5-3. And Channel Islands finished sixth in the team scoring.

Other winners Saturday included:

* Josh Gormley of West Torrance, who defeated Adrian Ioja of Garden Grove, 10-1, in overtime. Gormley, the defending state champion, trailed, 4-3, but a one-point penalty for stalling late in his match sent the bout into overtime with the score tied, 4-4.

Gormley eventually overpowered a tiring Ioja, 10-1, in the extra period for the victory.

“We need to work on his endurance next week,” Garden Grove Coach Jose Orozco said. “I think he’ll be more prepared for next Saturday.”

The state meet starts Friday, somebody reminded Orozco. The finals are Saturday.

“Right,” he said with a smile. “He has the potential to be the first state placer from Garden Grove.”

Ioja’s only two losses this season have come against Gormley.