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Manuel Morales, 14, (top) and Fernando Acuña practice Wednesday in the Brawley Union High gymnasium. (JOSELITO VILLERO PHOTO / January 30, 2013) |
The Brawley Union High wrestling team clinched its 19th consecutive Imperial Valley League title after Southwest High forfeited its IVL duel Wednesday.
The streak of dominating in IVL continues for the Wildcats, who now turn their attention to the CIF-San Diego Section Division III tournament set for Feb. 16 at Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego.
“It just feels good to win it once again and not lose it, not break the streak and focus on CIF next,” said 17-year-old Lonzie Osuna, who wrestles at 134 pounds.
Osuna is 34-4 and finished 6-0 in league. Last year he finished second at the CIF section championships, finished third at the Masters Tournament and went 3-2 at the state tournament. He won the section championships his sophomore year.
He’s hoping for another run at state.
“I’m just hoping to finish by placing at state,” he said of his high school wrestling career.
The IVL title means 11 for head coach Tony Leon and the end of another IVL season.
“It’s been a long season, one of those up and down seasons,” Leon said. “Sometimes we looked good, sometimes we looked bad.”
He’s hoping his wrestlers will shake off the roller-coaster performance and focus at CIF. The Wildcats have 12 CIF titles and are looking for 13.
“The test is coming at CIF, I know they’ll come around,” he said. “We have a lot of seniors and I would hope that they do better than they did last year … they always show for CIF.”
Another Brawley senior hoping to end his high school career on a high note is Joseph Guler, 18, (23-4, 6-0 IVL) who wrestles at 197 pounds and won at CIF last year, and was a semifinals at Masters but finished sixth because of an injury default.
“Winning IVL is a tremendous accomplishment,” he said. “As for my intentions at CIF, I plan to go out there and expel all my potential, leaving nothing on the mat.
I have the toughest competition in the entire section for my weight class in our division and I intend on overcoming all adversities not only throughout CIF but masters and state as well.”
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