The two-best Moore League wrestlers all year punched their tickets to the CIF-State Meet in Bakersfield on Saturday. Lakewood’s Kimo Napohaku (135) and Millikan’s Nick Pena (152) both won their first matches on Saturday at the CIF-SS Masters Meet at Temecula Valley High School.
Napohaku defeated CIF-SS Eastern Division Individual champion U. C Raul, 5-4, to automatically qualify for state with a third consecutive win. The Lancers junior captain had a first-round bye on Friday and then was pinned in his first match, but Napohaku dug deep and won three win-or-go-home matches and the CIF-SS Central Division Individual champion came up clutch when he absolutely needed it.
“I knew Kimo was capable of qualifying for state, but he needed to realize he was not only good enough, but he needed to go out there and wrestle aggressively and he did that,” Lakewood coach Andy Miramontes said. “I challenged him yesterday and he responded well and we’re very proud, because he beat some quality wrestlers.”
Napohaku (49-6) wanted to prove he wasn’t satisfied with just being a CIF champion.
“I got a slow start yesterday, but I knew I didn’t want to go home without leaving it all on the mat, and to be able to put together three consecutive wins and qualify for state is something that I am proud to have done and is a big relief as well,” Napohaku said. “I will head to state with a lot of momentum and hope to represent Lakewood High School and the Moore League well.”
Pena (51-5) took out Arroyo Grande’s Sergio Salinas when the Rams senior pinned Salinas in 43 seconds in a state-qualifying match on Saturday morning. Pena now has a school-record 102 pins over his career. The old mark was 96.
“It feels so great to know everything I’ve given up and trained for has paid off in such a big way,” Pena said. “To move forward and to do it with Kimo is also a great feeling, because he’s someone I respect a lot and we both try and represent the Moore League in a way that makes others proud. I couldn’t be more excited to be going to state and I hope that I’ve made my teammates, friends and family proud.”
Lakewood’s Cody Gurule (130) had a great Masters run, but fell short of qualifying when he lost a 16-1 technical fall to Calvary Chapel Downey’s Bradford Gerl in a state-qualifying match.
“We’re very proud of both Cody and Nathan Batres for battling their butts off and with Kimo, Nathan and Cody all being juniors, we have a lot to look forward to next season as well,” Miramontes said. “I think Nathan and Cody surprised some people with how well they did and they’re just going to keep getting better.”
The Long Beach area will send six to state, including Warren’s Damien Gomez (103), Calvary Chapel Downey’s Bradford Gerl (130), Downey’s Rudy Calderon (215) and Paramount 215-pound Antonio Lopez.
Damien Gomez lost his first match of the year in the Masters title tilt to Righetti’s Josh Rodriguez, 4-1, but could serve as motivation for the state meet. Gomez has a school bests this season with 53 wins (1 loss) and 41 pins.
The San Gabriel Valley League is sending an area-best three wrestlers to state, while the Moore League has two and CCD represents the Alpha League.