Ventura’s Hold on Region’s Top Spot Remains Strong

There will be some changes for the Ventura High wrestling team this year, but this much remains the same: The Cougars are the region’s top program.

Ventura will have a lot of new faces and a new league. Also, longtime coach Paul Clementi has given the title of co-coach to assistant Mike Colin.

Changing leagues was a necessity.

Realignment last season resulted in the creation of the Pacific View League and a fracturing of the now-defunct Channel, which was left with three schools -- Buena, Dos Pueblos and Ventura -- that field wrestling teams.

Southern Section rules do not allow leagues to have less than four teams.

As a remedy, Oxnard was grouped with the three teams to create the Pacific View North, which competes in Division I. Camarillo, Hueneme, Rio Mesa and Channel Islands remain in the Pacific View South, a Division IV league.

“It’s kind of a joke, but [the three schools] didn’t want to go independent,” Hueneme coach Juan Flores said.

It’s a situation that could be temporary. According to Clementi, San Marcos has promised to start a team, allowing for the reformation of the Channel League and Oxnard’s return to the Pacific View next year.

Colin, who competed at Syracuse, moves up after 12 years as an assistant.

“He’s real intense,” Clementi said of Colin. “I’m still intense, but I hope to ease out of it and be more behind the scenes.”

Clementi hopes to eventually become more of an administrative head coach, focusing on fund-raising and the development of younger wrestlers.

Regardless, Ventura should maintain its status as the dominating program. Under Clementi, who begins his 23rd season, the Cougars have won two Southern Section titles, placed second four times and have finished as high as sixth in the state meet.

Only two seniors are expected to start and seven individual league champions move up from an unbeaten junior varsity.

“We’re going to be pretty young and a year away from being really good and two from being perhaps the best team we’ve had at Ventura,” Clementi said. “We had a pretty good freshman class and we have a lot of wrestlers who are really athletic.”

Ventura gets a boost from Tim Eckberg and David Lopez.

Eckberg, a junior who missed most of last season with a broken ankle, is expected to compete at 152 pounds. Lopez, a 160-pound senior, was hindered by a shoulder injury.

Other returning starters for Ventura include Bobby Taylor (171 or 189) and Nick Taminich (135). Taylor, a sophomore who was a successful freestyle wrestler in junior high, is capable of a top four finish at the Southern Section finals.

Joaquin Real (140) and Nick Taminich (135) are also talented sophomores.

“We’re real pleased so far,” Clementi said. “Our frosh-soph and JV won every tournament we entered last year and every dual meet. This group of kids has what it takes.”

The Pacific View South should be competitive, with Camarillo having a slight edge.

The Scorpions return Southern Section Masters Meet qualifiers Hank Robles (103) and Ralph Garcia (189).

Robles was second in Division IV and Garcia took third.

Defending league champions Mike Martinez (130) and Tyler Nielsen (145) also return for the Scorpions.

Camarillo coach Ron Wilson, however, doesn’t see his team as a favorite.

“It’s kind of hard to tell,” Wilson said. “It’s a chess game of who’ll be where and who will compete.”

Senior Scott Speakman, fourth in Division IV at 135 pounds, is the top returner for Rio Mesa. The Spartans are also impressed with junior Caleb Bautista.

Hueneme finished in last 10 consecutive years before Flores took over as coach five years ago. The Vikings have qualified for the Southern Section team playoffs three consecutive years but are rebuilding this season.

Returning starters for Hueneme include Raul Ayala (112) and Javier Vargas (171).

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

AT A GLANCE

THE PROVEN: Seeking its eighth consecutive Golden League title, Highland has never lost a league dual meet. Junior Mike Estrada took third at the Southern Section Division IV individual championships and was 47-6 with 26 pins. Jon King (160 pounds) and Wes Alleman (145) are returning league champions. Quartz Hill looks to topple Highland. Patrick Wood (140), a senior, qualified for the Masters meet last season. Wood bench presses 280 pounds and promises to be more aggressive after being penalized for stalling in matches last season. Chris Newling (152) and Dustin Wyly (145) are returning starters for the Rebels, who expect help from Kevin Stevens (125), a transfer from Canoga Park. . . . Several Marmonte League coaches list Simi Valley as the favorite. Tyson Hadduck (189) placed second in Division III and the Pioneers are bolstered by three junior varsity league champions. Pablo Garcia (119) was third in the league at 125. Watch for Royal. The Highlanders took second at the Buena Park dual-meet tournament last week, with Jason Schliekelman (125), James Betancourt (140), Chris Rueckert (171) and Jon Koppenhaver (215) winning individual titles. Schliekelman had a tournament-high four pins and Rueckert is a returning Masters qualifier. Defending champion Thousand Oaks has won 13 consecutive league duals, but a large chunk of that squad graduated. Ron McKee (189) has been lost for the second consecutive season to a knee injury. The Lancers will rely on Jason Park (145), Dan Wiederkehr (152), Yi Bing Chen (125), Mark Schmitt (119) and Andy Maldonado (112). . . . El Camino Real has won three consecutive City Section titles and nine in 14 years. The Conquistadores, led by defending City champions Jamar Cargo (189) and Edward Lemus (119), will be tough. Moshe Levi (140) is a two-time City runner-up. The Conquistadores return starters Josh Berg (103), Shaheen Jahangard (heavyweight), Manuel Gonzalez (215) and Ryan Umali (130). Sophomore Willie German (145) of San Fernando is a defending City champion and senior Josh Roepke of Granada Hills placed third as a sophomore. . . . Defending Frontier League champion Alemany returns eight starters. Marcos Herrera (160) is the fourth of four brothers to compete for the Indians.

THE PROMISING: With five seniors returning with varsity experience, Agoura could surprise. Matt Javid (135) and Lorne Berfield (130) each qualified for the divisional tournament. Brendan Mica (152), Rob Kane (160) and Kyle Skinner (145) give the Chargers a strong corps of middleweights. Westlake has bounced back from a hazing incident that forced the school to drop the sport for the 1996-97 season. Second-year Coach Mike Lynch has 40 wrestlers out. Sophomore Zac Azevedo competed on varsity as a freshman. Seniors P.J. Battglia (119) and Sean McClain (189) will score for the Warriors. . . . Coach Bob Calderon of Fillmore fields a full team for the third time in 13 seasons. The last time the Flashes had a full squad they won Frontier titles in 1992 and ’93. Calderon expects a breakout season from junior Ben Ibarra (140). Senior Pedro Vargas (189) competed at 215 last year but has dropped 40 pounds. . . . Gary Bairos takes over as coach at Harvard-Westlake after guiding the middle-school program to a three-year record of 36-0.

FAST FACT: Thousand Oaks will host a girls’ tournament on January 8.

The Top 10

Preseason rankings of wrestling teams in the region

*--*

RK School League 1 Ventura Pacific View North 2 Highland Golden 3 El Camino Real City 4 Simi Valley Marmonte 5 Camarillo Pacific View South 6 Royal Marmonte 7 Quartz Hill Golden 8 Rio Mesa Pacific View South 9 San Fernando City 10 Thousand Oaks Marmonte

*--*