El Camino Real Dual Conquest Ends With Heavyweight Victory

Brains played almost as much of a role as brawn this time. But the outcome was the same.

El Camino Real High, rallying for victories in five of the final six bouts, defeated San Fernando, 31-30, on Thursday night at El Camino Real to win a third consecutive City Section dual-meet wrestling championship.

El Camino Real (30-5), which will try for a third consecutive City individual title on Feb. 27 at Monroe, came out on top when heavyweight Shaheen Jahangard recorded a 12-1 decision over Ken Enriquez, earning the Conquistadores a four-point major decision.

“I didn’t expect it to come down to the last match,” Jahangard said. “I knew we needed a major decision, but he put up a tough fight.”

San Fernando (11-4), which lost to El Camino Real, 41-32, in a regular-season finale last season, almost pulled off an upset with a revised lineup shuffled at the 11th hour by Coach Mike Castillo.

“I moved all our middleweights up,” Castillo said. “All of our guys wrestled heavier.”

Nine San Fernando wrestlers competed at different weights this time against El Camino Real. Conrad Silva, a freshman at 125, joined the lineup and won a 7-6 decision over Eddie Hernandez.

The juggling resulted in victories in three weight classes that went El Camino Real’s way last week.

“That made it a whole new dual meet than last week,” Coach Terry Fischer of El Camino Real said. “A lot of surprises, a lot of upsets for both teams.”

It also made for several intense matches, most notably the 140-pound bout between Andy Moro of San Fernando, a three-time defending City champion, and Moshe Levi, who competed last week at 145.

Levi, who lost to Moro in the 130-pound City final last season, maneuvered for a 15-10 overtime victory. Rallying from second-period deficits of 8-5 and 10-6, Levi made a takedown to tie with 20 seconds left in regulation.

“I was getting tired in the first round,” Levi said. “But after the first break, I got my wind back. I said to myself, ‘I know I want this more than he does. I’m not going to lose.’ ”

Levi’s victory narrowed San Fernando’s advantage to 18-9 at the halfway point. When Eddie Moro won by forfeit at 145, the outlook was promising for San Fernando, which led, 24-9.

An 8-6 victory at 152 pounds by El Camino Real’s Sal Flores over Willie German narrowed the margin to 24-12. San Fernando’s Anthony Rico, who pinned Flores at 152 last week, moved to 160 and did the same against El Camino Real’s Eugene Korchmarev, winning in 4:19 of a tight struggle.

“I just heard my dad and everyone cheering me on,” Rico said. “That’s really all I needed.”

El Camino Real’s strength in the upper divisions ultimately made the difference.

Anthony Thomas, defending City champion at 171, needed only 25 seconds to record a pin against Armando Salazar.

Jamar Cargo won, 7-5, against Jose Meza at 189.

Manny Gonzalez followed with a pin of San Fernando’s David Ventura in 2:11 at 215.

That set the stage for the heavyweight finale.

Bell finished third in the six-team tournament with a 48-22 victory over Monroe.

Monroe’s Arthur Bryan improved to 28-1 at 215 with victories against University and Bell. Bryan pinned University’s George Vasquez in 2:52.

San Fernando advanced with a 54-22 first-round victory over Garfield.

After a first-round bye, El Camino Real defeated Monroe, 59-18.