Camarillo Has Hold of Title at Last

Camarillo High took four individual championships Wednesday and won the Camarillo wrestling tournament for the first time.

Camarillo, coming off a 10th-place showing at the Moon Valley tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., last week, had six athletes reach the finals and outdistanced runner-up Arroyo Grande, 195 1/2-186 1/2.

El Camino Real, led by Moshe Levi (140 pounds), lower-weights most valuable wrestler, was third with 175 points.

Hank Robles (103 pounds), Mike Martinez (135), Jeff Nice (215) and Mike Kohr (heavyweight) captured individual titles for Camarillo, which had not placed better than second in the 11 years the tournament has been contested.

Kohr and Nice provided pleasant surprises in their championship matches for Coach Ron Wilson.

Kohr, who was making his return after needing 20 stitches in his mouth following his first bout of the year, decisioned Cruz Vasquez of Fresno Central, 6-3.

Nice, who did not have a strong performance at the Camarillo duals three weeks ago, decisioned Tony Arceo of Fillmore, 10-1.

“It was nice to get [Kohr] back,” Wilson said. “He was unseeded [in the tournament], but he was going to be a tough competitor.”

Levi dominated his competition, recording three pins and a decision that was stopped because of the 15-point mercy rule [technical fall].

Levi did appear to be in trouble in the final when he was rolled briefly onto his back by Isaac Medina of Camarillo.

But Medina did not hold the advantage long enough to score and was pinned by Levi in 2:32.

“You can feel when you’re in trouble, but I didn’t feel that I was in trouble,” Levi said. “My conditioning has been very good and this year I’m more focused.”

Levi improved to 13-0 this season with 11 pins.

Also remaining unbeaten for El Camino Real was 119-pounder Edward Lemus, who decisioned Berhane Woldai of Moreno Valley.

Other champions from the region included Ariel Gradvohl of Alemany (130) and Chris Rueckert of Royal (171).

Rueckert decisioned Willie German of San Fernando in the championship match, 9-1, and Gradvohl pinned Patrick Lo of Alhambra in 5:52.

Chad Davis of Arroyo Grande won the 150-pound title and was selected the tournament’s most valuable wrestler in the upper weights.

Ralph Garcia of Camarillo lost to Bruce Johnson of Moreno Valley in the 189-pound final, 8-6, his second loss of the season.