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Laguna Hills Commanding in Hawaii

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Laguna Hills flexed some muscle in Hawaii last weekend, going 8-0 and winning the Iolani High dual-meet tournament.

The Hawks were barely challenged in their matches, winning by an average score of 61-11. They won two matches without giving up a point and their closest match was a 45-23 victory over Kamehameha, the top-ranked team in Hawaii. Laguna Hills defeated Livermore, 49-17, in the final.

Brayden Mills (103 pounds), Steve Jarmie (112), Patrick Gyotoku (119), Donovan Johnson (140), David Coles (145) and heavyweight Jerod Simpson all went undefeated in the tournament, but the highlight of the trip came after the tournament.

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The team attended a luau, where 145-pounder Ken Wales was picked out of the crowd to do a hula dance on stage.

“It was absolutely hilarious,” Laguna Hills Coach Cliff Jarmie said. “We were rolling on the ground laughing.”

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Add Hawaii: Laguna Hills remained in Hawaii until today, giving Jarmie, an avid surfer, time to check out the waves on Oahu’s famed North Shore. Jarmie said he heard reports of 20-foot waves there so he might seek out less intimidating rides.

“I spent $80 to ship my boards down here,” Jarmie said. “So I guess I’ve got to use them.”

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R and R: Temecula Valley, which last wrestled at the Reno tournament Dec. 22, is off until a Southwestern League opener Jan. 10, but this will be the last lull in the schedule for the Golden Bears.

Temecula wrestles in the Riverside County championships Jan. 11-12, the Five Counties Jan. 18-19 and in the Canyon Springs tournament Jan. 26-27. After that, it’s league finals and then the Southern Section playoffs.

“It will be weekend tournaments and overnight trips every weekend from here on out,” Temecula Valley Coach Arnold Alpert said. “We need to take some time off while we can.”

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Dueling champions: Calvary Chapel meets Bakersfield on Friday night at Bakersfield in one of the most highly anticipated dual meets in recent memory.

Calvary Chapel has won seven of the last nine state championships, including the last two. Bakersfield, with six wrestlers who placed in the state tournament last year, is considered the favorite to win the state title this year.

All six of Bakersfield’s returning state qualifiers, including three-time state champion Darrell Vasquez, are ranked No. 1 in the first edition of the California Wrestling state rankings, released Monday.

Calvary Chapel had eight wrestlers place in the state meet last year, but only Mario Estrada and Joe Williams return.

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Top dogs: Jeff Bristol of Temecula Valley and Williams of Calvary Chapel are ranked No. 1 in their weight class in the first edition of the California Wrestler.

Bristol, a 140-pounder, won the Reno Tournament of Champions Dec. 22. Williams, who wrestles at 171 pounds, finished fifth in the state last year.

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Calvary Chapel is ranked No. 4 as a team, the highest among Southland schools. Bakersfield is No. 1, followed by Clovis Buchanan and Poway. Temecula Valley is No. 7 and Arroyo Grande is No. 10.

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