Calvary Chapel Wins Another Section Title

Brethren Christian and Calvary Chapel crowned four champions each at the Southern Section Division I individual wrestling championships Saturday at Canyon Springs High School in Moreno Valley.

Calvary Chapel won its fourth consecutive Division I title and eighth section title overall with 250.5 points, followed by Brethren Christian (130), Ventura (124), El Modena (133.5), and Brawley (92.5).

Brethren Christian did well in the lower weights, with Mike Simpson getting things started with a 4-2 overtime victory over Calvary Chapel’s Steve Esparza at 105 pounds. Simpson scored a takedown with one second left in regulation to get into overtime, then won with another takedown in the extra period.

Brethren Christian’s Steve Garcia followed with a 12-0 victory over Mike Noriega of Rosemead in the 121-pound class. Teammate Larry Rodriguez then scored a 22-5 technical fall over El Modena’s Keith McKay at 127 pounds, and Pat Cadwallader survived a nasty cut on his cheek in the closing seconds to defend his 142-pound title with a 20-9 victory over El Centro Southwest’s Lionel Garcia.

Calvary Chapel wrestlers who took home titles included Adam Bones, who won an 8-2 decision over Jesse Christenson of Brea Olinda at 114 pounds, and Ben Nakamura, who managed a two-point takedown with three seconds remaining to defeat Jesse Plowman of Goleta Dos Pueblos, 5-3, at 147 pounds.

Arsen Aleksanyan pinned Rialto Eisenhower’s Tim Lybert in 2:46 at 162 pounds to give the Eagles their third victory, and Josh Saul won by injury default at 217 pounds.