Calvary Chapel Dominates Division I

Cypress Brethren Christian and Santa Ana Calvary Chapel crowned four champions each at the Southern Section Division I individual championships Saturday at Canyon Springs High School.

Calvary Chapel won its fourth consecutive Division I title and eighth section title overall with 250.5 points, followed by Brethren Christian (130), Ventura (124), El Modena (133.5), and Brawley (92.5).

Brethren Christian did well in the lower weights, with Mike Simpson getting things started with a 4-2 overtime victory over Calvary Chapel’s Steve Esparza at 105 pounds. Simpson scored a takedown with one second left in regulation to get into overtime, then won with another takedown in the extra period.

Brethren Christian’s Steve Garcia followed with a 12-0 victory over Mike Noriega of Rosemead in the 121-pound class. Teammate Larry Reodriguez then scored a 22-5 technical fall over El Modena’s Keith McKay at 127 pounds, and Pat Cadwallader survived a nasty cut on his cheek in the closing seconds to defend his 142-pound title with a 20-9 victory over Southwest’s Lionel Garcia.

Calvary Chapel wrestlers that took home titles included Adam Bones, who won an 8-2 decision over Jesse Christenson of Brea Olinda at 114 pounds, and Ben Nakamura, who managed a two-point takedown with three seconds remaining to defeat Jesse Plowman of Goleta Dos Pueblos, 5-3, in the 147-pound division.

Arsen Aleksanyan pinned Rialto Eisenhower’s Tim Lybert in 2:46 at 162 pounds to give the Eagles their third victory, and Josh Saul won by injury default when Joe Martinez of Ventura couldn’t continue because of a back injury at 217 pounds.