HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS : Ventura County Trio Complete 1st Day Unbeaten

Three Ventura County wrestlers each won all three of their matches in the state high school wrestling finals Friday at University of the Pacific.

Ventura High’s Scott Adams (189 pounds) and John Jimenez (119) and Thousand Oaks’ Jack Artman (145) advanced to today’s semifinals with hard-fought wins. Jimenez recorded the only pin among the threesome.

“California is the biggest state. It has the most people,” said Adams, who improved to 38-1 with an 8-4 quarterfinal win over Brandon Burks of Roseville. “There are a lot of good wrestlers.”

Artman (37-0) posted an 8-1 quarterfinal win over Don Keller of Live Oak, a sentimental favorite among the crowd of about 5,000.

Keller (32-11), a senior from Morgan Hill near San Jose, has wrestled for the past three years without his right leg, which was amputated because of bone cancer.

“That kid is incredible,” Artman said. “That was the toughest match I’ve had all year.”

Jimenez improved to 55-2 with a 7-5 quarterfinal decision over Brad Hull of Monache High. “It was tough, really tough,” Jimenez said. “Everybody I wrestled today was tough.”

Jimenez didn’t face any of the six City Section representatives among the 16 Valley-area competitors who qualified for the two-day, double-elimination state meet.

Canoga Park’s Phil Duffield lost in the opening round but rebounded with a 9-5 consolation-round win over Dirk Lambert of West Valley High. Duffield later was eliminated after being pinned by Brian Campbell of Hilmar in 3 minutes 47 seconds.

San Fernando’s three entries were overwhelmed. Manuel Anaya, the City’s 130-pound champion, was defeated in two matches, 20-3 and 15-2.

Gerardo Anaya, Manuel’s brother and the City’s heavyweight champion, was pinned in 50 seconds by Steve Contreras of Santa Clara, then defeated, 6-2, by Lannie Powell of Logan High.

San Fernando’s Nate Green (171) also was pinned twice, in 1:24 and 43 seconds.

El Camino Real’s Matt Austin (160) and David Duran (112) and Canoga Park’s Ralph Palacios (135) also were winless in two matches. Austin emerged from a loss to Chris Cundy of Anderson with his nose bloodied and swollen. Cundy pinned Austin in 5:46.

“He really cleaned my clock,” Austin said. “I was lying there on the mat, choking on my own blood.”

Jason Pratt of Newbury Park advanced to today’s third round of the consolation bracket with three consecutive victories after opening with a loss.

Failing to advance were Ventura’s Matt Jones (140), Alemany’s Will Arreola (152), Quartz Hill’s Joel Hansen (152), Westlake’s Gregg Crisp (189) and Simi Valley’s Mark Smith (heavyweight).