Ventura Satisfied Despite Low Finish

All the teams in the four-way tournament at Ventura High on Saturday are ranked in the state top 10.

Which explains why Ventura Coach Paul Clementi was in good spirits even though the fifth-ranked Cougars won only one of their three dual meets and finished third.

“To get that level of competition to come to Ventura would never have happened 10 years ago,” Clementi said. “It was just exciting, it was state-caliber wrestling.”

Fourth-ranked Poway went 3-0 to capture the championship, while third-ranked Santa Ana Calvary Chapel was 2-1 and ninth-ranked Hughson was 0-3 with an injury-depleted squad.

Jace Wardlaw of Ventura went undefeated to capture the 152-pound title, including a pin of Calvary Chapel’s Isaac Wall in 3:10 in a contest eventually won by the Eagles, 34-32.

In that meet, Ventura trailed Calvary Chapel, 22-0, after the first five matches, then launched a comeback that began with Dustin Clocherty’s 21-6 technical fall victory over Anthony Archuleta. Consecutive pins by Trevor Clocherty, Ismael Martin and Wardlaw gave the Cougars a 23-22 lead.

Cristobal Gonzalez of Ventura went 3-0 at 189 pounds to capture Ventura’s other individual title over Josh Bigrigg of Calvary Chapel. Gonzalez defeated Bigrigg, 10-6.

North Torrance tournament--Josh Berman of Camarillo won all five of his matches and took first place in the 152-pound class at the 42-team tournament. Berman set a school record for fastest fall with a 10-second pin in his second match.

Chad Troxler of Simi Valley went 4-1 to finish second in the heavyweight division.