Calvary Chapel Follows Blueprint for Success on 1st Day

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Calvary Chapel.

At least that’s what Coach John Azevedo said last November.

After the first day of the state wrestling meet, that construction is almost complete.

All seven Eagle wrestlers survived the first day of action at the Spanos Center at the University of the Pacific, good enough to put Calvary Chapel in second place with 53 points after the quarterfinals Friday.

Clovis Buchanan leads with 66 and Poway is third with 52.

“Well, it’s not a shoo-in. But we might have a chance. That’s if we can keep our guys advancing,” Azevedo said.

Seniors Josh Saul (215 pounds) and Mike Bigrigg (189 pounds) , advanced to the championship semifinals. Saul won his quarterfinal match against Aaron Graham of Bakersfield, 7-5. Bigrigg defeated Dos Palos’ Mike VanWorth, 20-5.

Senior Joe Nakamura 145) joins freshman Steve Esparza (103), sophomore Andy Bones (112), junior Josh Johnson (125) and senior Arsen Aleksanyan (160) in the medal hunt.

Brethren Christian had the next best county performance Friday. Mike Simpson and Pat Cadwallader advanced to the championship semifinals for the Warriors, who are eighth with 31.5 points.

Simpson, a sophomore, defeated Jake Barwis of Shingle Springs Ponderosa, 7-6, despite suffering an injured shoulder. Simpson, seeded first at 103 pounds, will face David Lopez of El Cajon Valhalla in the semifinals.

Cadwallader (140), who was third at 135 last year, defeated Allen Villagomez of East Bakersfield, 12-2, to advance.

Other Brethren Christian wrestlers still alive are Larry Rodriguez (125) and Steve Garcia (119).

Santa Ana’s Jose Najera (112) advanced to the semifinals with a 7-5 decision over Hughson’s Kyle Bunch. Tony Perez, state runner-up at 103 pounds last year, lost in the first round but remains alive in the consolation bracket. Also in the consolation bracket is teammate Jose Leon (119).

Newport Harbor’s Rigo Pinon (119 pounds), second at the Masters meet last weekend, advanced to the semifinals.

Troy’s Jesse Carrasco also advanced to the semifinals. Carrasco, unranked most of the year, turned heads Friday when he won two of his three matches by fall and the other by near fall.

Other county wrestlers still in contention are Anaheim’s Tim Dye (171) and Edgar Saldivar (189), El Modena’s Jared Williams (103), Laguna Hills’ Mike Quesnel (160), Kennedy’s Richard Feistman (135), Magnolia’s Neal Schwartz (heavyweight), San Clemente’s Robert Richardson (heavyweight) and Los Amigos’ Harvey Garcia (130).

Competition concludes today; the finals are scheduled at 7 p.m.