THE PREPS : Flake’s Technical Fall Gives Edge to Esperanza in Sunset League Final

Matt Flake’s technical fall in the 162-pound, third-place match made the difference as Esperanza edged Los Alamitos, 158 1/2-158, in the Sunset League wrestling finals Thursday at Fountain Valley High.

Edison placed third with 131 points, followed by Fountain Valley (112), Marina (109) and Huntington Beach (51).

Flake, ranked second in his weight class in the Orange County coaches’ poll, was upset in the semifinals by eventual champion Austin Cathey of Huntington Beach.

Flake regrouped and defeated Ben Patton, 18-1, and Matt Steinmeyer (173) defeated Aaron Manson of Fountain Valley, 9-2, to give the eighth-ranked Aztecs a 12 1/2-point cushion with two matches remaining.

Los Alamitos did not place a wrestler at 173 pounds, but received pins from Tim Tennimon at 191 pounds and heavyweight Brian McBride to finish within a half point of Esperanza.

With the top three finishers advancing to the Southern Section finals, Esperanza and 10th-ranked Los Alamitos will send nine each, including three champions.

Fountain Valley also had three wrestlers win titles, followed by Edison with two and Huntington Beach and Marina with one.

Of the 13 top-seeded wrestlers, only Jared Freilich of Edison, Noah Culp of Esperanza and McBride won their respective divisions.

Unseeded wrestlers Steinmeyer, Jeremy Medina and Tennimon of Los Alamitos, Brent Morita of Fountain Valley and Cathey each defeated seeded opponents to win titles.