Falcon wrestlers won six matches against visiting Palomar Tuesday, including a pin by Andy Tufnell, as Cerritos recorded a 26-21 win over the Comets.
The win puts the Falcons in first place in the South Coast Conference with a dual meet record of 6-0 (7-1 overall).
Falcons’ assistant coach Brian Ransom said, “That’s one goal that we’ve got down.
“Our next goal is to start focusing on that state championship.”
After hosting Mount San Antonio College Wednesday, the team will take part in the State Dual Championships Saturday with the Southern California Regional a week later at Moorpark College.
Tufnell (174 pounds), who defeated Palomar’s Victor Contrerez by pin fall, said, “I wish I could just wrestle a little bit better. He got me tired.
“I just wasn’t feeling good, but I’m just glad that I pulled it out at the last minute.”
Anthony Rodriguez, Alvarro Arreola, Josh Johnson, Steve Garcia and Andy Lopez also recorded wins for the Falcons.
Rodriguez defeated Isreal Navarro, 13-3, at 125 pounds.
Arreola defeated Eric Higaonna, 20-8 in the 133 pound weight class.
Johnson (141 pounds) scored nine points in the third period, with three takedowns, to pull away from Tim Riscen.
Garcia (149 pounds) also pulled away from his opponent in the third round, defeating Ian Reddish 19-9.
Lopez scored eight points in the third period for a 15-3 win over Matt Cook.
Cerritos’ Deron Ward battled Palomar’s Chris Chambers, the top-ranked wrestler in the state at 197 pounds, in a hard-fought match, with Chambers emerging with a 9-4 win.
Ward said that he would be working on his conditioning. “And next time I see him I should be able to give him a tougher match.”
Buck Meredith (157 pounds) and Kris Shirley (184 pounds) won their matches for the Comets by pin fall over Gabe Barragan and Tad Millane, respectively.
Taylor Schmidt, Palomar’s heavyweight wrestler, won his match by forfeit.
Ransom said, “We’re very happy. They (wrestlers) stayed with the basics, stayed with the fundamentals, and we got them highly motivated before the match, and it paid off.”
Winners in Vegas
With four of its wrestlers finishing fourth or better, Cerritos took first place in the JC National Tournament in Las Vegas Friday and Saturday.
The Falcons scored 106.5 points in the tournament, 12.5 points ahead of second-place Moorpark.
Damacio Page won the championship at 133 pounds, defeating Chabot’s Justin Bedwell, 14-2, in the final.
Rodriguez (125 pounds), Johnson (141 pounds) and Garcia (149 pounds) and Barragan (157 pounds) finished third in their weight classes, while Lopez took fourth place at 165 pounds.
