Hoover High wrestling’s Edmen Shahbazyan earns his way to Masters

What was once considered a long shot for the Hoover High wrestling team has now become a pattern.

For a second straight season, the fledgling four-year-old Tornadoes program has produced a qualifier to the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet.

A year after Arthur Ghukasyan found his way to state, senior Edmen Shahbazyan will now have that same opportunity after the 195-pounder recovered from an opening-round loss to finish third in his weight class on Saturday’s second day of the CIF Southern Section Coastal Division Championships at Lake Elsinore Lakeside High.

“It’s an accomplishment for this program to get another wrestler to Masters and I wasn’t sure we’d do it, especially after that first round,” said Hoover High Coach Dave Beard, whose team finished 25th with 41 points. “Edmen showed a lot in coming back from a loss and winning the next five matches. I’m really proud of him.”

Shahbazyan, one of six Hoover grapplers to begin competition Friday, earned advancement to Friday’s opening day of the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet at Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario.

The Hoover senior is one of two area wrestlers to advance along with La Cañada 220-pounder David Vardanian.

Shahbazyan (15-3 record) totaled six bouts overall, with three taking place Saturday.

In his final match, Shahbazyan upset Eleanor Roosevelt’s Brandyn Baker, ranked No. 14 in the Southern Section according to thecaliforniawrestler.com, by an 8-2 score to complete an amazing five-match winning streak.

Shahbazyan reached Saturday’s third-place finale by opening with a pin of Rancho Verde’s Raul Robles in 1:35, which was followed by a 4-2 win over Corona Centennial’s Sergio Arellano.

Previous to that, Shahbazyan delivered pins against St. Paul’s Jasper Gallardo in three minutes and Arlington’s Daren Johnson in 45 seconds after opening the tournament by getting pinned by Bishop Amat’s Connor Ramirez in 3:30.

“In the first round, I don’t know if I wasn’t ready or what, but I didn’t do well,” Shahbazyan said. “After that, I knew I couldn’t lose. That was my motivation to keep pushing and winning and get myself to Masters.”

Shahbazyan wasn’t alone Saturday, as the senior was joined by 132-pounder Jessie Martinez (25-5).

The junior’s second day was brief, though, as Martinez finished a 3-2 run by being pinned in his first consolation bout Saturday in 2:32 by Paloma Valley’s Adam Andrade.

Prior to the setback, Martinez closed out Friday with two straight victories.

Martinez pinned Webb’s Justin Olivares-Vermillion in the last of consolation action Friday. The win came after Martinez defeated Bishop Amat’s Rudy Jamie, 11-3.

Initially, Martinez opened with a 9-5 victory over Desert’s Liam Kelly before suffering his first defeat, a reverse 9-5 setback to Crespi senior Tristan Martinez in the championship second round.

Hoover was also represented by four additional wrestlers in freshman Karlan Hakopyan and juniors Geraldy Martinez, Murah Muradyan and Narek Zamanyan.

Geraldy Martinez (14-6), twin brother of Jessie Martinez, nearly reached Saturday, but was knocked out in his final bout at 145 pounds to finish 2-2.

Geraldy Martinez began with a pin of Silverado’s Steve Calhoun at 4:55 in the first round, which was followed by a 12-6 defeat versus Corona Centennial’s Dylan Wallace in the second round.

Following the loss, Geraldy Martinez faced a familiar foe in South Pasadena senior Emiliano Sornoso.

The duo last met in the Rio Hondo League championship semifinals at Monrovia High on Jan. 31 in a bout Geraldy Martinez won, 12-7.

Fast forward three weeks and Geraldy Martinez prevailed in a closer decision, 5-4.

The good feelings from that win ended in the next round as Victor Valley’s Luis Valdez won the final consolation bracket match Friday, 9-1.

Hakopyan (19-6) notched his lone victory in his first very bout at 113 pounds as he pinned Arlington’s David Lara in 18 seconds.

Unfortunately for Hakopyan, his win preceded a pin by Heritage’s Isaac Guerrero and a wild 16-14 loss to Crespi’s James Reece.

Tornadoes 138-pound junior Narek Zamanyan, the Tornadoes’ lone Rio Hondo League champ, finished 1-2 with a fall against Eastside’s Skye Brown sandwiched between a defeat via pin in 41 seconds to Highland’s Ben Nakashima and a tough 4-2 loss to Chaminade’s Jacob Wong.

Muradyan (13-8) finished 1-2 despite having the rare advantage of a first-round bye.

Muradyan notched a 13-7 victory in 170-pound consolation action against Barstow’s Kevin Locke. Muradyan was earlier pinned by Santiago Corona’s Parker Ray in the championship second round and was later bested by Elsinore’s Yonatan Alvarado, 4-0, in the second-chance bracket.