PREP WRESTLING ROUNDUP : Capistrano Valley Wins This Round

It was a sneak preview that San Clemente hopes will have a different ending when the main attraction screens later this week.

Seventh-ranked Capistrano Valley edged 10th-ranked San Clemente, 130-127, in the San Clemente wrestling tournament Saturday night, giving both teams something to chew on as Thursday’s South Coast League showdown nears.

“It’s going to be great,” San Clemente Coach Mark Calentino said.

Cougar Coach Joe Zeller agreed. “Three points, that was the difference (Saturday),” he said. “Thursday’s going to be close.”

So close that John Witting (30-2), a 7-1 victor over Ocean View’s Jeff Barney at 152 pounds and the Tritons’ only tournament finalist, said the heavyweight class could decide the match.

“That may be what it comes down to,” he said.

But if the Tritons don’t prepare better for the Cougars than they did for Saturday’s tournament, it probably won’t matter.

“We didn’t wrestle good all week,” Witting said. “For Capo, we have to wrestle hard all week.”

Three Capistrano Valley wrestlers advanced to the finals, but all came up short. At 135, Michael Peters of El Cajon Valley pinned Mark Stephenson at 3:59, and Alec Laidlaw fell behind Torrance’s Gerald Fazis early and lost, 3-2, at 170, and Cougar Terry Tuzzolino scored on a takedown of Mark Albert of Los Alamitos, to tie it, 7-7, late in the third, but Albert scored six quick points with five seconds left for the 13-7 decision.

“In the championships it’s tough to come back if you fall behind early,” Zeller said. “They just don’t make many mistakes once you get there.”

Third-ranked Santa Ana finished third with 118 points and placed three in the finals. All were flawless. Roger Santiago was a 4-1 winner at 112, Miguel Valencia was a 15-13 victor at 125, and Ron Hernandez defeated Ray Torres of Dana Hills, 13-6, at 130.

Santa Ana defeated Capistrano Valley twice in earlier tournaments this season, but the Saints were missing players--because of injuries and temporary suspensions by Coach Scott Glabb--Saturday.

“We did a fine job with who we had,” said Glabb, adding that his team should be at full strength for the section playoffs.

In the El Toro eight-way tournament:

Von der Ahe named most valuable wrestler--Santa Margarita’s Andy Von der Ahe was named most valuable wrestler in the lower weight divisions after pinning all four opponents at 135 pounds. Anaheim placed third in the tournament, which was won by Bell Gardens.