Hadduck’s Run Is Sweet Music for Simi Valley

Tyson Hadduck, a wrestler for Simi Valley High, doesn’t back away from opponents, academic challenges or baby grand pianos.

Coach Guy Greene found that out when Simi Valley traveled to compete in the Morro Bay tournament last season.

“We’re registering at the motel and I hear music playing in the background,” Greene said. “I’m thinking to myself, ‘This place is really classy.’ I turn around and it’s Tyson playing and he’s rattling off whatever came to his mind.”

Wrestling appears to come just as easy for Hadduck, who won 38 matches and placed second at 171 pounds in the Southern Section Division III finals last season.

Competing at 189 pounds this season, he’s 8-1 and placed first in the Newbury Park tournament. He finished second last week in the Irvine tournament when a knee injury forced him to default the championship bout.

As a sophomore, Hadduck, who moved to Simi Valley from Colorado in 1998, won only 50% of his matches. But he showed promise.

“Wrestling in the upper weights is tough because the older kids will intimidate you,” Greene said. “He didn’t fall for that. Even if things go bad, he can come from behind. And when he’s on top, he’s going to pin you.”

Hadduck has been accepted to the Air Force Academy.

*

El Camino Real used its depth to win the team title in the Camarillo tournament on Saturday.

The Conquistadores entered the final dual match against previously unbeaten Camarillo without regulars Manuel Gonzalez (215 pounds) and Andreik Deleon (171), but got clutch performances from two wrestlers called up from the junior varsity.

Chris Sloan filled in for Gonzalez and won a decision, and Phillip Daniels-Hernandez kept the Conquistadores in the match with a 9-3 loss to Camarillo’s Brent Cantrell. If Daniels-Hernandez had been pinned or lost a major decision, El Camino Real would have faced an insurmountable deficit.

Daniels-Hernandez is El Camino Real’s fourth-string wrestler at 171, but he was promoted because Deleon was ill and two others missed the tournament because of family commitments.

“You’ve got to have extra people,” said Coach Terry Fischer of El Camino Real. “It’s like having extra relievers in baseball.”

*

Dan Wiederkehr (152) of Thousand Oaks had an unbeaten run halted abruptly in the Camarillo tournament.

Wiederkehr, who won his first five matches, was attempting a half-nelson in his sixth match when the ring finger of his right hand got caught in the clasp of the referee’s whistle.

“He threaded it like a fishing hook,” Coach Larry Mortensen said. “It was terrible.”

Wiederkehr was taken to a hospital and the whistle was removed. According to Mortensen, Wiederkehr was given a tetanus shot and suffered no tissue damage.

*

Alemany wrestlers endure practice conditions that can be conservatively described as difficult.

In 1994, the Northridge earthquake destroyed the school’s gym, creating a logistical nightmare for indoor sports.

A tent was erected but time constraints forced the wrestling team to practice at 5 a.m. without heat. The next year practice was held at Harvard-Westlake, then the team spent several years at the school’s old campus behind Holy Cross Hospital. That site was demolished last year.

This year Coach Lou Carmona’s squad has been sharing a classroom with the drama class. But his team is moving again, this time to another tent that was put up last week.

“The drama class doesn’t want us in there,” Carmona said. “Apparently they don’t like the smell.”

Alemany’s new practice facility lacks flooring and heating. The school will attempt to build a floor, but there is uncertainty if heating can be installed.

“They told us to have the kids wear parkas,” Carmona said. “I’m happy to have a program, but the conditions. . . We’re going to look like a ski team on the mat.”

*

Agoura, which was previously unranked in The Times’ regional poll, created waves last week by knocking off No. 6 Royal and No. 10 Thousand Oaks.

The Chargers received help against Royal. The Highlanders were deducted a point when Josh Jones (145) raised his arms in triumph and threw his head gear across the gym after pinning Agoura’s Sean Selter.

Instead of a tie, Agoura claimed a 37-36 victory.

The Top 10

Rankings of region wrestling teams

*--*

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

*--*