CdM wrestlers sparkle amid stars

Bryce Alderton

Glee beamed from the face of Corona del Mar High wrestling coach

Gary Almquist as he scoured the training room picking up scattered

potato chip bags and crumpled napkins. Almquist helped clean the

floor but the host Sea Kings also did some shining of their own on

the mats in a 51-21 Pacific Coast League victory over Northwood.

“It’s not just a good win for us, it’s a great win for us,”

Almquist said. “I didn’t expect a win like that. I thought I would

have to say we lost to both David and Goliath and we would bring all

the rocks next year.”

Before the tri-meet featuring CdM (5-11, 2-2 in league), Northwood

and Calvary Chapel of Santa Ana -- ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern

Section Division I and winners of two of the last three state titles

-- Almquist compared his team’s match with the Eagles, a 64-12 loss

in the Sea Kings’ final league match later Thursday night (CdM and

Northwood faced-off first), with the Biblical story of David and

Goliath. In the story, David fights against Goliath, a behemoth of a

soldier in the invading Philistine army. David needs only one rock,

shot from a sling, to knock down Goliath and eventually stabs the

solider, killing him, and sending the invading army retreating. David

eventually becomes a king following the death of Saul.

Against Northwood Thursday, two Sea King freshmen: Eston Greub

(112 pounds) and Max Ukropina (135), both took the crowns for their

first varsity-match victories after wrestling at the lower levels

prior this season. Greub won by decision after three periods leading,

11-6, which gave CdM a 9-0 cushion, and Ukropina scored three points

for his team with a 7-5 decision.

“That’s huge,” said Almquist about wins by Greub and Ukropina.

Greub and Robbie Ritchie (heavyweight) won CdM’s only two matches

against Calvary Chapel, both by forfeit.

Ukropina took the spot normally occupied by freshman Tim Sullivan,

who Almquist said was injured but did not specify further.

Three CdM wrestlers won by pins, capturing a total of 12 points

(six points per pin). Sophomore Brian Feeley (119) used his right arm

to hold his opponent’s head down on the mat and pinned in 48 seconds.

Fellow sophomore Isaac Inouye fought back from a 5-0 deficit in

the second round to record the fall on Omar Kurdi in 3:14. With both

players standing, Inouye reached for his opponent’s legs and latched

on. He eventually worked his arms upwards in a bear-hug style hold

and flipped Kurdi onto his back for the win.

CdM’s final pin came at 189 from junior Dane Robie in 2:47. The

fall gave CdM a 51-12 lead with the 215 and heavyweight matches left,

both won by Northwood.

Sophomore Taylor Alston scored a major decision victory (19-3)

worth five points to begin the match. Alston had the upper-hand

throughout, wrapping his arms around his opponent’s chest as both

wrestlers knelt.

Sophomore Matt Loeb (125) finished with an 18-6 victory for four

points and Dan Gushue (152) secured five points with a major-decision

win (21-6) over a Northwood opponent.

Cam Pospisil (140) and Ryan Shores (160) both won by forfeit,

notching six points apiece for the Sea Kings. Senior Jeff Brazee, one

of Northwood’s stronger wrestlers, according to Timberwolf Coach

Scott Akins, was sick and didn’t compete Thursday.

Nick Armendraz wrestled at 145 in place of sophomore Jon Dean, and

performed valiantly according to Almquist. Joe Klunder (171) and Alex

Diaz (heavyweight) both fought hard before being pinned in their

matches.

“We’re exactly where we need to be,” Almquist said of CdM’s state

of mind heading into the Laguna Hills Tournament Saturday with league

finals of the horizon Feb. 8. “We’re starting to gel and practices

are going well.”

Newport Harbor High’s Sailors were embroiled in two Sea View

League matches, Tuesday and Thursday.

On Tuesday, at Irvine in a 57-12 loss, Kid Lim was a winner in

3:28 at 112 pounds to run his record to 17-6. Nate Geier also won by

pin in 3:34 at 135 pounds.

Thursday, in a 62-12 loss to visiting Laguna Hills, Geier was a

winner by pin over Kevin McKay in 5:28 to run his record to 19-5.

Geier rolled up a 13-3 edge before pinning his rival.

The Sailors, 4-5, 1-2 in the Sea View, are at Woodbridge next

Thursday.