WRESTLING : Santa Ana Calvary Chapel Wins the State Title

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel became the first Southern Section team since Victor Valley won in 1987 to win the CIF State wrestling meet team championship at Pacific’s Spanos Center on Saturday.

Coached by John Azevedo, a former NCAA champion at Cal State Bakersfield and a 1980 Olympic team member, the Eagles outscored Shingle Springs Ponderosa, 79-72, and ended Clovis’ string of consecutive titles at three. Clovis, which has won a record six titles since the tournament began in 1973, finished third.

“To come up here as an underdog, as a small school that no one knows and to win, it’s awesome,” said the Eagles’ Dane Valdez, who won the 119-pound title, 12-7, over Todd Wong of Sacramento Johnson.

A junior, Valdez finished the season 44-0, including victories in the Southern Section Division III and Masters meet finals.

Twin brother Shane Valdez placed second for the second consecutive season at 112 pounds, losing to Sean Kim of Rosemead, 3-1.

Calvary Chapel’s victory was only the third by a Southern Section team in State meet history. Placentia El Dorado, in 1982, and West Covina South Hills, in 1981, had the other victories.

Scott Chapman of Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World, wrestling without the protective mask he wore to cover a gash under his eye on Friday, defeated Willie Tenner of San Bernardino Pacific, 5-4, at 152 pounds, becoming only the fifth wrestler in State history to win three titles.

Chapman, who won at 152 last season and at 140 in 1991, closed out his high school career with his 93rd consecutive victory, including 43-0 this season.

The only other defending State champion, Jose Enriquez of Norwalk Glenn, lost in the semifinals and finished fifth.