Santa Ana Again Shows Its Strength in Numbers

Santa Ana continued to make its case for being the county’s top wrestling program this season by qualifying seven wrestlers for today’s quarterfinals of the Southern Section Masters Tournament at Fountain Valley.

The Saints, the section Division II team champion, placed wrestlers in the 112-, 119-, 125-, 145-, 171-, 189- and 215-pound weight divisions.

Also making strong showings in the tournament’s first day were Calvary Chapel, which qualified six wrestlers; Brethren Christian with four; Foothill and Villa Park with three.

Dana Hills, El Modena and Santa Ana Valley each qualified two wrestlers.

Temecula Valley, which defeated Calvary Chapel for the Division I team championship, qualified five.

The top eight finishers will qualify for next weekend’s state championship in Stockton. Those wrestlers who win their quarterfinal match today are guaranteed to finish in the top eight.

Wrestlers who lose their quarterfinal match can still qualify for state by winning their consolation round.

Friday’s action was highlighted not only by who wrestled, but by those who didn’t.

Loara lost a top contender when Luis Aparicio, the Division III champion at 130 pounds, failed to make weight.

On the mat, Foothill’s David Liti, the Division I champion, was disqualified in his second-round match after being judged to have injured Jorge Guerrero of Norwalk Glenn with an illegal move.

The biggest surprise involving county wrestlers came in the 135-pound division where Foothill’s Ben Balmages upset Division II champion Jeremy Pricer of Mater Dei, 20-16.

Balmages nearly pinned Pricer twice in the first period, building a 10-2 lead, then held off desperate lunges by Pricer in the third period.

The quarterfinals begin at 9 a.m. Semifinal matches are scheduled to start at noon, and finals will begin at 1 p.m.