Santa Ana Calvary Chapel Dealing With New Reality

It’s no secret that two-time defending state champion Santa Ana Calvary Chapel is struggling, but nobody could have predicted the Eagles’ results over the past two weeks.

The Eagles, winners of seven of the last nine state championships, were thrashed by Bakersfield, 62-12, in a dual meet Jan. 5 and finished 11th at the Doc Buchanan tournament over the weekend.

Eagle Coach Joey Coughran said his team is short-handed because it can’t fill spots in the 112-pound, 189-pound and heavyweight classes and injuries have created more holes in his lineup.

“We just don’t have anyone in some weight classes,” Coughran said. “That happens sometimes. We have about 25 guys on the team and a lot of them are duplicate weights. And with the injuries, we’re just not at full strength right now.”

Joe Williams, ranked No. 1 in the state at 171 pounds, and Victor Lugo, ranked No. 4 at 130 pounds, have not wrestled since placing at the Reno Tournament of Champions on Dec. 22.

Lugo, who has a knee injury, is out for the season. Williams, who has a shoulder injury, is expected to return for the Five Counties Invitational beginning Friday at Fountain Valley High.

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Vikings on the move: Covina Northview won the Nogales tournament over the weekend for its fourth tournament victory of the season and could be primed to turn some heads at the Five Counties Invitational.

“We want to be up there with the powers,” Northview Coach David Ochoa said. “We want to see if we can fight it out with the big boys.”

James Clay (160 pounds), Sammy Saunders (112) and Aldo Secaida (215) have been particularly good, though Secaida may miss Five Counties because of a knee injury.

“It’s not something that will keep him out all season,” Ochoa said. “But we don’t want to jeopardize the end of the season for this weekend.”

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Fit to be tied: When Temecula Valley and Moreno Valley Canyon Springs tied for first in the Riverside County championships Saturday, it was the first time in the 20-year history of the tournament there were co-champions.

Each team scored 252.5 points.

“That’s more rare than a no-hitter,” Temecula Valley Coach Arnold Alpert said. “I’ve never seen a tie at any tournament and I go to about 10 a year.”

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In the city: Defending City Section champion San Fernando took another hit last week when Ramon Perry was kicked out of school for fighting on campus.

The Tigers didn’t start practicing until early December because of administrative issues and are still getting football players into wrestling shape.

“We’re about a month behind everyone,” Castillo said. “We didn’t start practice until December. We just didn’t have the team ready to go.”

Will German, who placed at state last season and is San Fernando’s top wrestler, didn’t compete until Dec. 22. Castillo was unsure if German would certify at 171 pounds or 189. German made 171 at the North Torrance tournament.

Peter Yoon