PREP WRESTLING 3-A DIVISION DUAL-MEET CHAMPIONSHIP : Adams Puts Finishing Touch on Ventura Victory With Pin

Ventura High’s Scott Adams knew what he had to do.

His opponent, Joseph Field of Torrance, also knew.

Then Adams went ahead and did it.

The Cougar senior entered the 189-pound match against Field needing a win to assure Ventura of a victory in the inaugural Southern Section 3-A Division dual-meet championship Thursday at Edison High in Huntington Beach.

Adams went right to work, recording three thunderous takedowns and a near-fall before pinning Field in 2 minutes 44 seconds. The momentum of Adams’ manhandling carried Ventura to a 32-18 victory before 832.

“I knew their coaches’ (instructions) were to tell that guy not to get pinned,” said Adams, who improved to 31-1 with 26 pins. “I just had to settle down and clinch it.”

Field, a last-minute substitution, said his goal was to survive.

“I knew he was good, and in the first round, I knew I couldn’t beat him,” Field said. “I just didn’t want to get pinned.”

Adams’ pin added to a banner season for the Cougars (21-1), who last week won the 3-A individual team title and will send Adams and four other wrestlers to the Southern Section Masters meet Saturday at Fountain Valley High.

“This really shows who the best overall team is,” Ventura Coach Paul Clementi said of the dual-meet title, which section coaches voted during the off-season to implement. “I love the concept. Now we’re the first to get a dual-meet title, just like Green Bay was the first to win a Super Bowl.”

Ventura recorded wins in eight of 13 weight classes. Heavyweight Justin Werth, Matt Jones (140 pounds) and Justin Jackson (135) did not allow their opponent to score.

Jones (46-3), a Southern Section champion this season, defeated Octavio Baltazar, 9-0; Jackson (43-10) defeated Aaron Bonsall, 8-0; and Werth defeated Chris Denney, 7-0.

Ventura’s John Jimenez, (119), another Southern Section champion, dominated Dan Ikeda, recording a takedown in the opening minute and stretching it to a 9-1 victory. Jimenez improved to 47-2.

Jones, Jackson and Jimenez will compete in the Masters. Ventura’s Jason Carmody (130), who also will compete in the Masters, recorded a 6-4 win over Guy Ortolano.

One match ended in a draw, but most were one-sided.

The most exciting battle developed in the 171-pound match between Ventura’s Thomas Lang and Fernando Sanchez. Lang fell behind, 2-0, in the first period, then rallied with two leg-kicking escape moves to avert a pin and claim an important 4-2 victory.

Lang entered the bout with Ventura clinging to a 20-18 lead and wound up setting the stage for Adams’ pin.