Fountain Valley boys, Marina girls top Sunset Conference wrestling finals

The Sunset Conference wrestling finals lent little in the form of surprises, the Fountain Valley boys and the Marina girls sitting atop the competition at the end of action Saturday at Edison High.

Both programs hope to build on their historic seasons of a year ago, as the Barons and Vikings combined to bring home four individual state championships.

Fountain Valley geared up for its next postseason run, claiming nine of the 14 league championships on the boys’ side. A showdown of top wrestlers in the 190-pound final highlighted the tournament.

The younger brother of TJ McDonnell, who became the only state champion in Fountain Valley history last season, has had a breakout season.

Khale McDonnell let out a primal scream as he abruptly finished off his title bout with a cradle for a pin against Corona del Mar’s Eugenio Franco, a state medalist last year, just 13 ticks into the second period.

“All of them just grind so hard, all of my teammates,” McDonnell said of his team producing the most league champions. “Looking around the room and seeing how hard everyone’s working, it inspires you to work even harder.”

McDonnell went undefeated through a bracket at his school’s host Five Counties tournament in January for the first time, where Anthony Lucio and Ryland Whitworth also emerged triumphant.

Hercules Windrath (138) and Lucio (126) joined McDonnell in earning victories by fall in the championship round in the league finals.

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Corona del Mar was outdueled by Newport Harbor in the Battle of the Bay dual meet, and it was again on team points on Saturday. The Sea Kings, however, had three league champions — Antonio Aramburu (157), Zion Hernandez (175) and Reid Butler (285) — to the Sailors’ two in Demian Pryima (132) and Anthony Manno (150).

Butler took satisfaction in pinning Newport Harbor’s Everett Heninger, whose win in the last match to go on the mat against CdM clinched the Battle of the Bay and gave the Sailors the Golden Singlet for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

“I was frustrated [after Battle of the Bay], so I knew this is my opportunity,” Butler said. “I had to get back season, as my coach said. I was hoping that [Heninger] would be the one in the finals. I was hoping he would win all his matches, so we can match up. I knew what I had to do, so I just got it done.”

Deep into the middle weights, Pryima and Manno sat alone as the two individuals to break up a perfect run by the Barons, who had wrestlers in 11 of the 14 boys’ championship matches.

“Last year, I was able to make it to Masters, and I fell short of my goal,” said Manno, who won a CIF title at 145 pounds last season. “I was a little sick there. This year, obviously, I have the same goals, try to win another CIF title. This year, I just want to make it different at Masters and get a good run at state this year.”

Fountain Valley will host the CIF Southern Section Inland Division individual wrestling championships on Friday and Saturday. The top four in each weight class qualified to compete in the postseason meet.

Marina girls’ team wins another conference title

The Marina girls’ wrestling team won its third straight Sunset Conference title, holding off Newport Harbor 133-114. The boys’ team league championships were determined through dual meet competition during the regular season, Fountain Valley winning the Surf League and the Wave League crown going to Marina.

Mikayla Putich (110), Mary O’Neil (115), Rachel Critz (130), and Alyssa Flexen (135) all won their finals by pin for the Vikings, accounting for half of the championship matches that were wrestled.

Newport Harbor’s Duda Rodrigues, a state champion last year, had a first-period pin in the 155-pound final.

BOYS’ WRESTLING

Sunset Conference finals

At Edison High

Team Results

1. Fountain Valley 286; 2. Newport Harbor 195.5; 3. Corona del Mar 187.5; 4. Los Alamitos 143.5; 5. Marina 92; 6. Edison 72.5; 7. Huntington Beach 72; 8. Laguna Beach 62.5

Individuals

106 — Hunter Jauregui (FV) inj. def. Rikki Villasenor (NH).

113 — Chris Qureshi (FV) maj. Jackson Lawsky (LB), 16-3.

120 — Brady Mercer (FV) dec. Micah Van Grol (NH), 8-2.

126 — Anthony Lucio (FV) pins Ethan Carey (LA), 0:57.

132 — Demian Pryima (NH) maj. Jimmy Loya (FV), 11-1.

138 — Hercules Windrath (FV) pins Matthew Pinon (NH), 1:06.

144 — Nathan Marquez (FV) dec. Adam Salas (LA), 7-3.

150 — Anthony Manno (NH) dec. Christian Stoeber (FV), 12-5.

157 — Antonio Aramburu (CdM) pins Jacob Moreo (LA), 0:47.

165 — Rocky Windrath (FV) dec. Ayden Solomon (NH), 4-3.

175 — Zion Hernandez (CdM) pins Ridge Lancaster (M), 0:55.

190 — Khale McDonnell (FV) pins Eugenio Franco (CdM), 2:13.

215 — Ryland Whitworth (FV) inj. def. Anthony Leon (CdM).

285 — Reid Butler (CdM) pins Everett Heninger (NH), 1:51.

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

Team Results

1. Marina 133; 2. Newport Harbor 114; 3. Corona del Mar 57; 4. Huntington Beach 47.5; 5. Edison 43; 6. Fountain Valley 30; 7. Los Alamitos 14; 8. Laguna Beach 9

Individuals

100 — Marlee Solomon (NH) wins by forfeit over Renata Gonzalez (LA).

105 — Kaeli Gonzalez (CdM) inj. def. Pearla Gerges (M).

110 — Mikayla Putich (M) pins Devyn McCormick (HB), 0:37.

115 — Mary O’Neil (M) pins Chloe Chaisson (HB), 0:00.

120 — Camille Tauro (CdM) pins Olivia Lewis (M), 3:16.

125 — Jasmine Diaz (FV) dec. Izzy Gonzalez (M), 6-1.

130 — Rachel Critz (M) pins Jordin Silva (HB), 0:37.

135 — Alyssa Flexen (M) pins Kamryn Coglianese (HB), 0:35.

140 — Dora Assis (NH) pins Ella Garrett (CdM), 1:09.

145 — Skyler Gassel (NH) uncontested.

155 — Duda Rodrigues (NH) pins Madison Gebbie (E), 0:38.

170 — Eva Garcia (NH) inj. def. Payton House (Edison).

190 — Charlie Falomir (NH) inj. def. Laiyah Stoddart-Cardov (FV).

235 — April Andrude (M) uncontested.