STATE WRESTLING : Poway Falls Short in Finals Once Again

Poway High School continues to look like a favorite when it goes to the State Wrestling Championships, and the Titans continue to be disappointed.

Second isn’t bad, but it’s not first, which is the position Poway has looked to reclaim since it won its only title in 1986.

Since then, Poway has finished seventh, fourth, third three times, and second.

This time, Clovis outscored Poway, 95-88, on Saturday at the Spanos Center at the University of Pacific, giving the Titans their first second-place finish.

The most recent disappointment was underscored by Poway’s 67-61 lead over Clovis as it entered the second day of the tournament. Clovis claimed its third title in a row and sixth overall.

The day was not a complete disappointment for all San Diego Section entries. Mt. Carmel senior Gail Miller (125 pounds) claimed the state title with a 6-2 victory over Yogi Leake of Brentwood Liberty. Miller reached the final by defeating Riverside Sierra Vista Eddie Rodriguez, 7-4.

Poway had three wrestlers in the semifinals, Clovis seemed to have an edge with four. But none of the Clovis wrestlers advanced to the championship round. Poway had three of its wrestlers, reach the finals, Ross Funches (160), John Haas (171) and heavyweight Corey Farkas. But Clovis’ supporting cast was much stronger.

Poway took a state-record 12 wrestlers to the tournament, tying its 1990 total; Clovis took 10.

Poway entered the meet ranked third in the nation by USA Today, Clovis was ranked 11th. They were 1-2 in the state.

The tournament is the first competition that Poway has lost this season.

Haas reached the championship by defeating Ponderosa’s A. Bebout, 9-5. Haas lost for the first time this season in the finals, getting pinned a 1:55 by Jeremiah Miller from South Hills.

Funches and Farkas were beaten in the semifinals.

Funches was pinned by Keith Richards of Mission San Jose at 1:30, and eventually finished fifth.

Farkas was beaten by American’s Darin Preisendorf in 2:51 in the rematch of last year’s championship match, which Preisendorf won, 2-1, in controversial fashion in the final round.

Farkas finished third with a victory over Mike Bolster of Huntington Beach, 3-0. Funches took fifth place, losing to Anaheim Canyon’s Matt Padgett, 4-3, then beating Beyer’s Shawn Hemiller, 2-0.

Grossmont’s Todd Bell (140) and Point Loma’s La’ Roi Glover (hwt.) reached the finals but were beaten. Bell fell to Vacaville’s Steve Hilas, 10-4, after defeating Liberty’s Paco Ramirez, 5-3, in the semifinals.

Glover was pinned by Preisendorf in 2:51, after beating Huntington Beach’s Mike Bolster, 5-3.

Other San Diegans who placed were Monte Vista’s Angelo Espinelli (103) and Billy Rebelez (135), and Ramona’s Carl Sharmitaro (130), who finished eighth.

Donnie Keller, a senior from Live Oak High in Morgan Hill who lost his right leg to bone cancer three years ago, finished eighth at 145 pounds.