PREP WRESTLING ROUNDUP : Laguna Hills Keeps Tournament Title at Home

Despite missing one of its top wrestlers, host Laguna Hills, ranked second in the county, was able to win its tournament Saturday.

The Hawks, without heavyweight Mark Zolikoff, who injured his knee in the Five Counties meet, won with 155 1/2 points, 34 1/2 points more than Irvine, ranked third in the county. Ninth-ranked Loara, probably the biggest surprise in this strong field, finished third with 111 1/2 points.

Evidence of this came in the 147-pound final between Laguna Hills’ Mike Greco, who is ranked first in the county, and Loara’s Richard Meza, whom Greco pinned last month at the Escondido Orange Glen Tournament.

Things were different this time as Meza shot out to lead, 2-0. Meza was able to maintain a two-point advantage through two periods.

But late in the third period, Greco came back with a reverse to tie the score, 10-10, at the end of the third period.

In overtime, Meza lost his chance to win when Greco got out of an apparent takedown with a quick move that allowed him to hit the mat atop Meza to win, 12-10.

“I knew this match would be tough,” Greco said. “I tried to ride him, but he was tough. I knew there wouldn’t be a pin this time.”

Jeff Greco, Mike’s brother, won at 142 pounds, defeating Bryan Ysais of Capistrano Valley, 9-0. Casey Elliott, who along with Jimmy Ambriz of Saddleback was named MVP of the upper weights, beat Makell Murphy of Long Beach Millikan, 6-2. Loara’s 105-pounder Anthony Pham won, 8-3, over Nick Castillo of Laguna Hills.

Capistrano Valley had two champions. At 114 pounds, Scott Elliott defeated Irvine’s Peter Hamilton, 6-2, and Andrew Tuzzolino defeated J’Von Willis of Santa Monica, 5-3, in overtime at 191 pounds.

Irvine’s Justin Meier had an easy victory over Travis Paddock of Orange Lutheran at 132 pounds with a pin in 3 minutes 47 seconds. Katella’s 137-pounder Chris Marquez pinned Paul Schater of Diamond Bar in 3:28 and teammate Eric Schirmacher beat Dan Moyer of Long Beach Millikan, 8-0, at 173 pounds.

In other matches, Esperanza’s Matt Flake (162) beat Manhattan Beach Mira Costa’s Andrew Smith, 15-7, and Jim Ambriz, ranked first in the county, breezed through his matches culminating in a pin of Kelly Richardson of Long Beach Millikan in 1:15 in the heavyweight championship finals. Ambriz recorded three pins in his four matches.

In the Eisenhower Six-Way:

Valencia wins--Valencia’s Gilbert Salazar had three pins, a technical fall and a forfeit to finish first at 132 pounds. Salazar was competing two classes above his normal weight (121).

Johnny Fonseca (105) and Jesus Gutierrez (154) also won their classes.

The Tigers went 5-0 to win the tournament.