Castaneda Wrestles Way Into State Semifinals

Confidence ran high for Alemany’s James Castaneda and Thousand Oaks’ Tim Bonebright, but luck ran out on one of them.

In the quarterfinals of the State wrestling tournament at Pacific’s Spanos Center Friday, Castaneda, a 112-pound junior, was the lone area athlete to advance to today’s semifinals.

Castaneda, who never doubted he belonged in the final four, breezed through his first three matches with a pin and 11-2 and 16-8 decisions.

“I’m pretty happy. I’m feeling good,” said Castaneda, who is 42-1 and ranked fourth by California Wrestler magazine. “I was hoping to finish better than last year,” when he was fifth in the 103-pound class.

At 145, Bonebright easily won his opening two rounds before he advanced to meet Clovis senior Kyle Swan, a fourth-place finisher at 135 last year. But Bonebright got in trouble early and lost, 6-0.

“He’s upset. He has to regroup for (today) and a possible third place,” said Thousand Oaks Coach Larry Mortensen.

According to Mortensen, it was imperative that Bonebright go on the attack after he fell behind against Swan: “He needed to pick up the pace, make his throws, do some different things. Swan sits back and waits for you to make the moves.”

Agoura’s Chad Payne (125) and Rio Mesa’s Tom Nelford (152) won their first two matches before they were stopped in the third round. Payne was an 11-1 loser to Monache’s Brad Hull and Madera’s Fernando Meza turned back Nelford, 7-2.

Canoga Park’s Hadi Jubrail (160), the champion from the City Section, and Ventura’s Sean Burdick, a sixth-place finisher in the Southern Section Masters meet, lost in Round 2.