Moorpark Wrestlers Lose in Final

Three Moorpark College wrestlers recorded pins, but the Raiders were defeated by Palomar, 35-18, in the Southern dual-meet championships Saturday at Moorpark.

Ramon Rodriguez (149 pounds), Melkon Melkonian (197) and heavyweight Anthony Vitale won by pin, Rodriguez winning in the first period.

Moorpark (9-3), the defending Southern champion, defeated Cerritos, 35-12, in a first-round match, while Palomar defeated Rio Hondo, 37-15.

Cerritos defeated Rio Hondo, 22-15, for third place.

Moorpark’s Chuck Sandlin (184), a sophomore from Camarillo High and defending state champion, won by forfeit in the championship match. Sandlin recorded a pin in 5:58 against Cerritos’ Ulysses Rios to improve to 15-2.

Melkonian, a sophomore from Granada Hills High, pinned Cerritos’ Jeremiah Martinez in 57 seconds, then defeated Alan Clegg of Palomar in 2:14 to advance to 13-1.

Vitale, a sophomore from Alemany High, stopped Palomar’s Jason Paul in 2:59. Vitale won a 9-2 decision over Cerritos’ Hugo Hernandez.