Highland Season Ends on a Low

For the second consecutive season, Highland High’s wrestling team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division IV wrestling playoffs.

Matt Tesoro of Santa Maria Righetti defeated heavyweight Paul Soto of Highland in the final bout to defeat the Bulldogs, 34-31, Saturday at St. John Bosco High.

Top-seeded St. John Bosco (24-0) won the title by defeating Serra League-rival Bishop Amat, 29-25, in the final.

The Bulldogs (33-3-1) had a dual meet go down to final bout for the third time this season. Soto, who trailed, 7-2, going into the third period, could not find the right combination of moves to score.

Soto attempted to shoot for takedowns against Tesoro, but was caught in a mistake, allowing Tesoro to build a larger lead.

“Paul gambled in the end, and he got caught,” Coach Mike Young of Highland said.

However, it was a match Highland could have won had it taken advantage of some earlier opportunities.

Sparked by pins from Joey Wilson at 112 pounds and Jason Howell at 119, the Bulldogs built a 12-4 lead after the first three weight classes.

Righetti, though, didn’t quit, forcing five lead changes before dominating the upper weigh classes.

The Warriors closed by winning three of the final four weight classes, with Tony Callahan providing Highland its only victory during the stretch.

Callahan won an 11-6 decision over Young Kang in the 215-pound bout and tied the match, 31-31, leaving the final outcome to be decided by Soto-Tesoro.

Righetti got a key victory in the 125-pound bout. Carl Bardietti scored on a reversal in the final seconds and defeated Josh Sanders of Highland, 4-3, to pull the Warriors to within 12-7.

“We didn’t have great day,” Young said. “Every team goes through the season with losses but has to step up and we really didn’t do that today. The bottom line is that Righetti out-wrestled us.”

Highland was wrestling without 145-pounder Nick Facciola, who was lost for the season with a shoulder injury earlier in the week.

The Bulldogs were weakened in the upper weights when 171-pounder Jack Higgins was lost for the season because of a concussion suffered in a snowboarding accident during the holiday break.

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel 63, Ventura 12--Heavyweight Shane Nautu pinned Dean Williams in 1:39 and Mike Kaleiohi won by forfeit but Ventura could not keep up with the top-seeded Eagles in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division I dual-meet championships at Villa Park High.

No. 5-seeded Ventura advanced to the semifinals with a 46-23 victory over Murrieta Valley and a 39-32 quarterfinal upset of fourth-seeded El Modena.

With Ventura clinging to a 33-32 edge against El Modena, Nautu pinned Kevin Lukes at 2:47 to clinch a match in which Ventura trailed, 20-0.

The Cougars rallied by winning seven consecutive weight classes, beginning with Andy Webber at 132 pounds.

Ventura won four matches in that span by falls.