HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING / OVERVIEW : TEAMS TO WATCH : SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I

Agoura: Gone to Boise State is Sean Burns, Southern Section champion at 171 pounds last season and a three-time Marmonte League champion. However, four solid wrestlers return. Senior Chad Payne (125) was league champion at 119. Senior Dave Forman returns at 160 after placing fourth in the league. Senior Max Slosser (119) placed third in the league and sophomore Mark Fernandez (112) placed fourth. Junior Eric Freidlander (112) and sophomore Keith Endo (103) were among the league’s best junior varsity wrestlers.

Camarillo: The Scorpions have talent, although much of it unproven. Senior Darren Hatch (171) placed second in the Marmonte League last season. Sophomore Wayne Hatch (125-130), Darren’s brother, moves up from 112 after placing second in the league. Senior Rich Osler (125) placed fourth in the league. Sophomore twins Ron (112) and Rick Peterson (119), transfers from Sacramento, are exceptionally strong, Coach Ron Wilson said. Senior Richie Hergenreder (130-35) moves up from 119.

Royal: The Highlanders have eight three-year varsity members returning after a season in which Royal shared the Marmonte League title with Thousand Oaks. Senior Derek Greminger (145), son of Agoura football Coach Frank Greminger, returns after recording 17 pins and placing fourth in the league. Senior Jeremy Sereno (160) placed second in the league. Senior Steve Cross (112) was ineligible last season after placing third in the league as a sophomore. Senior Julio Vargas (189) placed third in the league. Senior Chris Mayberry, a 275-pound heavyweight, was 22-0 with last season’s junior varsity and 11-1 with the varsity. Junior Mike Segovia (119) placed second in the league.

Rio Mesa: Six wrestlers return for their third varsity seasons, prompting Coach Todd Stoke to proclaim this team his best since the 1988-89 squad that went 26-1. Three-year lettermen include seniors Andy Ferrari (189), Augie Zapien (130-35), Bill Doswell (119) and John Beppu (103) and juniors Tom Nelford (152-60) and Randy Legaspi (119-25). Nelford, one of the county’s best wrestlers, is a defending Channel League champion who placed sixth in the section finals. Ferrari and Zapien placed second in the league, and Legaspi, Doswell and Beppu placed third. Rio Mesa finished third last season behind Ventura and Dos Pueblos.

Thousand Oaks: A nucleus of experienced and talented returnees make the Lancers Marmonte League favorites. Senior Tim Bonebright, who will compete at 145, is ranked fifth among 140-pounders in the Southern Section preseason coaches’ poll. Bonebright was league champion at 140 last season before advancing to the second round of the section finals. Senior Fred Birckhead (140) was league champion at 135 and also reached the second round of the section finals. Both are 9-1 so far this season. Senior Parry Wu, who is 11-0 at 135, was second in the league at 125 and advanced to the fourth round of the section finals. Seniors David Greding (119) and Josh Pace (160) joined the varsity at midseason last year and both finished third in the league. Sophomore Thanh Tran (103), a varsity newcomer, has pinned seven opponents in 10 matches.

Ventura: Traditionally among the strongest programs in Southern California, Ventura is a favorite to win its fifth consecutive Channel League title. Ten members of the starting lineup are seniors--including six Southern Section qualifiers--and the other three were junior varsity league champions last season. Senior Sean Burdick, the league’s defending heavyweight champion, is off to a 13-1 start with 11 pins. Senior Ryan Atherton likely will move up to 112 after finishing second in the league at 103. Senior Chris Karlowsky (145), fifth in the Southern Section last season at 140, is 13-1 this season. Senior Nate Tafoya (119), a transfer from Buena, was second in the league. Senior Victor Atherton (103), Ryan’s brother and another varsity returnee, is undefeated in his first 12 bouts. Senior Donovan McHenry (152) placed second in the league, and junior Jason Sims (160) is one of four wrestlers moving up from a junior varsity that hasn’t lost a dual meet in five years.

SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION IV

Harvard-Westlake: The Wolverines lost nine seniors to graduation, including Southern Section heavyweight champion Josh Minuto. But talent remains. Junior Brandon Roth (119) finished second in the Mission League at 112 after winning the league title as a freshman. Senior Germain de Martinis (189) also finished second. Junior Jon Sakoda (152) was a junior varsity league champion and also saw varsity action. Sophomore James Michino (140) wrestled at 125 with the varsity. Junior heavyweight Hersh Davis-Nitzberg was a junior varsity league champion at 189.

Highland: Highland, 50-7-1 last season and Golden League champion, has emerged as a formidable program under fifth-year Coach Mike Young. Lost to graduation is Rich Moakley, who entered the section finals 43-0 last season before finishing third. But the Bulldogs still have experience. Senior Mike Hernandez (119) was league champion last season at 112. Junior Brian Enriquez (125) was second in the league at 119. Senior Byron Battey (160) placed third in the league and junior Roger Izzo (130) placed second at 125. Junior Ralph Cory (140) placed third in the league at 135 and junior Kevin Bice (152) placed fourth. Sophomore Jason Reynolds (135) was junior varsity league champion.

Quartz Hill: The Rebels have enough experience to improve on last season’s fourth-place finish in the Golden League. Junior Brian Pereira (189), the league’s defensive player of the year in football, was league champion at 171 last season and placed fourth in the section finals. Senior Brad Breckenridge (160) and junior Jimmy Walker (135) both finished second in the league. Senior Lee Hansen (140) placed third in league. Junior Jason Kamminga (152) moves up from 140.

CITY SECTION

Canoga Park: The Hunters, City Section runners-up each of the past two years, should remain a force. However, senior Phil Duffield, two-time defending City champion at 189, is academically ineligible and won’t be available until February. Junior Jose Barahona (125) was City champion at 119. Senior Ruben Palos (119) placed second in the City at 112 and junior Adrian Abarca (135) placed second at 125. Sophomore Hadi Jubrail (152) was a junior varsity league champion last season.

El Camino Real: The Conquistadores, City champions in five of the past eight seasons, appear improved after a rebuilding season. Senior Eduardo Nochez (140), second in the City at 135, is among a core of solid returnees that also includes senior Rick Ullman (145), second in the City at 152 a year ago. Senior Efrain Perez, who will compete at 189 and heavyweight, enters his fourth varsity season after placing fourth in the City at 189. Junior Casey Lee, third in the City at 112 the past two seasons, returns at that weight. Junior Andy Becker (103) placed third in the City and junior Hugo Jordan (160) placed fourth. Senior Josh Roman (125) and Jesus Rivera (103) were junior varsity league champions. Sophomore heavyweight Nathan Burke placed fifth in the City.

Monroe: Fourth-year Coach Tom Jones has molded the Vikings into a force. Jose R. Brizuela, third in the City last season, is among the area’s best at 140. Brother Alfonso Brizuela, a sophomore, placed fifth in the City at 125. Seniors Louie Rivera (119), a transfer from Alemany, and Tyrone DeMaria (171), who did not wrestle last season because of a shoulder injury, add to a solid lineup that also includes senior Micah Evans (189), a varsity returnee.

INDIVIDUALS TO WATCH

Senior twins Armando (140) and Fernando Avila (145) of Chatsworth are two of the City Section’s best wrestlers. Both won City championships last season, Armando at 135 and Fernando at 140 before both were eliminated in the opening round of the state tournament.

Senior Sal Castillon (145) of Alemany was second in the Mission League after placing first as a sophomore. Senior Russell Ladwig (130) of Alemany was third in the league at 125. . . . Seniors Jarred Kriz (160) and Ryan Proffit (171) of Simi Valley both placed third in the Marmonte League.

Senior Terrence Finley (112) of Antelope Valley placed second in the Southern Section Division IV finals at 103. Teammate Chad Holt (103) rivals Finley in strength and ability. . . . Junior Devin Benjamin (145) of Littlerock placed third in the Division IV tournament.

Seniors Jorge Perez (152), Ben Katz (135) and Kilian Young (189) return for San Fernando after successful showings last season. Perez placed second in the City at 160. Young and Katz both placed fourth.