CHULA VISTA – There can’t be a more emotional day in high school wrestling for the Imperial Valley League wrestlers than the CIF-San Diego Section Masters tournament here Saturday.
At the end of the grueling two-day tournament, only the top three placers at each weight class are guaranteed another tournament in their seasons.
Seven local wrestlers are all that’s left.
Of those seven, two were declared champions. One of those has been waiting for a long time for that.
“To finally be a Masters champion means a lot … to me, my family, my team and everyone who has supported me,” Brawley Union High 108-pound wrestler Vincent Elizalde said.
The junior Elizalde beat Poway’s Tirso Lara, 14-2, to earn his title, one he had to fight for in the semifinals.
“In the semifinals (against Otay Ranch senior Alfredo Espinosa), I knew once I beat him that I was going to win.
“That match was personal to me and I wasn’t going to lose!”
The other champion of the night added another title to his illustrious career as Central Union senior Micah Perez won his third Masters title.
“It was like how it has always been but the pin was great. I knew I was going to win but winning the way I did it just topped it off” Perez said. “Going in I knew I was going to toss him around, not let him score and I did and now I just have to keep working harder for state.”
For the rest of the field the Valley had three second-place finishers in Brawley’s 134-pound wrestler Lonzie Osuna, Central Union’s 147-pounder Antonio Perez, who injury-defaulted, and Holtville High’s Jose Sandoval at 222 pounds.
Also qualifying for the state meet was Brawley sophomore Isaac Moreno at 115 and Holtville’s Lance Angulo at 287. Both wrestlers took third.
In the team race, Brawley finished in third place behind champion Poway and runner-up La Costa Canyon.
The Wildcats lost nine seniors at the end of the tournament and the emotions got to head coach Tony Leon.
“My emotions are getting the better of me right now. Day in, day out these kids worked hard, they are united, always there for each other through thick and thin. As a coach you really respect that because you know that they will always be there for each other,” Leon said. “Masters tournaments are heartbreaks. We come out here and you don’t know what to expect you just want to see your kids qualify for state, unfortunately only taking three. Our kids fought to the last second and I’m just so proud of them all.”
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
