The Moore League will send 10 wrestlers to today’s Masters Meet at Temecula Valley High School. They qualified by placing at the CIF-Southern Section Central Division Individuals last weekend at Godinez High School in Santa Ana. The two-day event will send the top nine placers at each weight class to next weekend’s CIF-SS State Meet at the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield. The Moore League champions (Millikan) are sending four to the IE.
Seniors Jake Wallace (135), Jaime Reyes (145), captain Nick Pena (152) and junior 215-pound Sam Taylor will represent the Rams Nation.
Lakewood’s CIF champion, 135-pound junior Kimo Napohaku, as well as junior Cody Gurule and senior 140-pound Nathan Batres will be in competition today.
Wilson’s 171-pound CIF champion, senior Miguel Peralta, and 160-pound junior Josh Newman will join Poly senior Rickie Touch (119) in trying to place in the top nine.
Pena (47-2, 39 pins) and Napohaku (46-4) have the Moore League’s best two chances to move on to Bakersfield, but Peralta (35-5) could be a dark horse if the Moore League champion is able to stay on his hot streak.
The Long Beach area is sending 31 grapplers to Temecula Valley today and after a 2008-09 season that saw just four local wrestlers qualify for state, the area looks to have a stronger showing this time around.
Warren’s 103-pound senior Damien Gomez is the area’s only undefeated wrestler at 49-0 and is not only a favorite to move forward, but someone that will legitimately contend for a state title. Downey’s Brandon McDonald (171) and 119-pound Ivan Garibay both have at least 50-50 shots to qualify for a prep wrestlers version of the World Series.
St. John Bosco’s Sola Hola (215) and Los Alamitos’ 103-pound senior Anthony Leonard both look to be peaking at the right time.
The LBpostsports staff will keep you updated all weekend as to how the area’s grapplers fare in Temecula