Millikan High School’s wrestling program proved again on Saturday at the Moore League Individuals that there’s no doubt who the top dogs are. The Rams won 7 of the 14 weight classes, with Lakewood the next closest with three.
The Moore League’s premier two grapplers won convincingly. Lakewood’s Kimo Napohaku (135 pounds) and Millikan’s Nick Pena (152) both won Moore League titles for the second consecutive year. Napohaku (36-4) took a 9-3 decision in a rematch with Millikan stud, Jake Wallace. The two put on a show at Millikan back on January 7th when Napohaku won a 6-4 decision in overtime.
“I was really happy to have won again and I wanted to shoot more than I did the first time we met and it seemed to work pretty well,” Napohaku said. “I am trying to be at my best to make a run in CIF and I am going to work as hard as I can to get where I think I belong.”
Pena (39-2, 34 pins) stuck Wilson’s Nick Hrebien at 2:41 to claim the 152-pound title and then the ultimate team captain spent very little time celebrating and instead concentrated on rooting on his teammates.
“This was a great day for our team and of course I’m happy to have won, but it was great to celebrate with the rest of my teammates,” Pena said. “We’ve worked incredibly hard all year, but we still have things left that we want to accomplish.”
Millikan’s James Kuwata (103) won his third career ML title with a 17-2 technical fall victory over Poly’s Alex Oul. Ben Bermudez (112) gave the Rams their second title in as many matches with a 13-0 major decision victory over Lakewood’s Anthony Carmona.
“I was really excited to win my first Moore League championship,” Bermudez said. “I knew I had to use my speed and strength to my advantage and its paid off with two wins over Anthony (Carmona). I am also really excited for this next Saturday, because I think we have a shot at the CIF Team Duals.”
Poly’s Rickie Touch (119) won an outstanding, nail-biter, 4-3, over Millikan’s James Potter. Sergio Preciado claimed the second of two ML titles for Poly after the senior took a 7-0 decision over Millikan’s James Antony. Preciado (27-5) won his third ML title and will go for a rare four-peat at the CIF Central Division Individuals.
“I felt like I wrestled well tonight and was happy to win my third league title,” Sergio Preciado said. “I really feel like I’m where I want to be for CIF to try and make a run.”
Lakewood’s Cody Gurule (130) won the Lancers first of three consecutive titles when he won an 11-3 major decision over Poly’s Richie Touch.
“I was happy to win my first league championship and felt like I wrestled well,” Gurule said. “I was pretty consistent and wrestled a smart match. I am excited to be wrestling this well in time for CIF.”
After Napohaku’s victory at 135, Nathan Batres (140) pinned Millikan’s Julian Gandarilla at 2:39.
Jaime Reyes (34-7) took the gym by surprise when he pinned Poly’s Jesus Preciado in the 145-pound title match at 2:28.
Jesus Preciado (14-1) hadn’t lost a match this season, but is slowly recovering from an injury that’s kept the Jackrabbits’ star out much of the season.
“I was beating Jesus in our league dual 12-6 and with 40 seconds left in the match, he rolled me over and pinned me and I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen again,” Reyes said. “I can’t wait for (CIF) Team Duals and CIF Individuals, because we’re all wrestling very well.”
Reyes’ win set off a string of five title wins in six matches for the Rams between 145 and 215 pounds.
Millikan’s Nick Arroyo (160) beat Wilson standout Josh Newman, 4-0, and improved to 34-7. The 160-pound junior standouts will likely be in the same position a year from now and should be a competitive rivalry.
Wilson’s Miguel Peralta (171) remained undefeated in Moore League competition this year by defeating Lakewood’s Keoni Waiolama, 6-2. Peralta has excelled all year and is a local favorite to place at the CIF Central Division Individuals in 13 days at Godinez High School in Santa Ana.
Zack Woodruff (189) remains one of the area’s best stories this season as the Millikan senior pinned Wilson’s Demetrius Torres just 45 seconds into the match. Woodruff improved to 36-7 and has been a major force in setting up the Moore League title run in this 2009-10 season for the Rams. He turned the hat trick this year against Torres, going 3-0 with three pins.
“As a senior, I really wanted badly to win a Moore League title, so this was very exciting and shocking to win so early in the match,” Woodruff said. “I have used the same move all three times and he hasn’t been able to counter it. We’re very excited individually and as a team for the last month of the season.”
Sam Taylor (215) won the Rams seventh and final match on Saturday with an impressive pin of Wilson’s Andrew Cohn at 1:35 to claim an individual league title.
Compton heavyweight Rocky Marquez pinned Millikan’s Calvin Gonzalez at 1:55 to give the Tarbabes a Moore League champion.
The top three placers from each weight class automatically qualified for the CIF Individuals at Godinez on Feb. 19-20. Millikan and Lakewood will represent the Moore League at the CIF Team Duals Sat. Feb.13, at Ayala High School in Chino Hills.