HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING : SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS : Jones, Jimenez Lead Ventura to Its 1st 3-A Championship

Ventura High won its first Southern Section 3-A Division individual team wrestling championship Saturday night at Edgewood Middle School in West Covina, but Cougar senior Scott Adams failed in his bid for a second consecutive 189-pound division championship.

Ventura’s Matt Jones (140 pounds) and John Jimenez (119) both won division championships to help Ventura to a 141 1/2 point total. Valencia (136 1/2), South Hills (130 1/2) and Savanna (118 1/2) followed in the 11-team tournament.

Adams, the defending 3-A champion in the 189-pound division, was upset in the final by Covina’s Art Suarez, who surprisingly outmaneuvered, outmuscled and finally pinned Adams with 23 seconds left in the match.

Adams entered the match with a record of 30-0 with 25 pins, including three in a row in the two-day tournament.

“It was a tough match,” a sweaty and somber Adams said. “I guess the better wrestler won.”

Adams, who bled from the nose almost from the opening whistle, fell behind, 2-0, in the opening period, then pulled even with a takedown early in the second quarter.

However, Suarez (31-4) opened an 8-2 lead in the third period and led, 11-4, at the time of the pin.

“He realizes he made the mistake of wrestling the other guy’s match,” Ventura Coach Paul Clementi said. “Scott Adams is one of the best stand-up wrestlers in the state. But when he tried to wrestle him on the ground, it’s like moving a truck.”

Said Adams: “I think I’d do some things differently if I wrestled him again. I would rather have lost a match before this one.”

Adams entered the final after recording pins over wrestlers from Millikan, Victor Valley and Jordan. His 25 pins set a school single-season record.

Jones’ 6-4 victory over Steve Sethman (30-3) of Whittier capped a successful comeback season as a junior. Last season, Jones underwent knee surgery to repair torn cartilage late in the season and missed the individual finals.

In a grueling contest, Jones forged a 6-1 lead after two periods but spent most of the final period in Sethman’s grasp and appeared to be hanging on at the buzzer.

Jones, who improved to 45-3, wrestled with a cut on the bridge of his nose he received in a match three weeks ago.

“It just won’t heal up,” Jones said. “At the end there, I knew I was going to win. I just didn’t want to get greedy and get put on my back.”

Jimenez, who finished fourth in the 119-pound division last season, gained the advantage on Andre Guerrero of Workman from the opening whistle. Jimenez led, 6-2, after one period and 9-4 after two.

Guerrero scored on an escape move late in the second period but never had Jimenez in any danger. Jimenez outscored Guerrero, 6-1, in the final period.

“He was a tough kid,” Jimenez said. “I guess I was just the better wrestler. I set my goals really high at the beginning of the season. It’s all in the mind.”

Only one pin was recorded in 13 final matches.