Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Prospect's David Lam, pinning earlier in the year in a match against Willow Glen, rolled to a 22-4 technical fall to help the Panthers to a 41-24 win over Yerba Buena last week. Lam and the rest of the Panthers will compete in the league finals Saturday at Independence.

Warriors out to be perfect

Panthers pin win over Yerba Buena

By Dick Sparrer

Westmont is just one win away from perfection.

But even if the Warriors beat Pioneer this week to complete an undefeated dual-match season in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, there won't be much time for a celebration.

The Warriors have to be ready to return to the mat this weekend when the BVAL tournament gets under way on Feb. 14 at Independence.

Westmont, Prospect and the rest of the 22 teams in the Blossom Valley league will battle it out at the finals on Saturday. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. with the finals set for late in the afternoon.

Westmont will enter the tournament as the champion of the Santa Teresa Division. And the Warriors could be undefeated champions with a win on Feb. 11 against Pioneer. Westmont will host the Mustangs in a 6:30 p.m. match on Wednesday. Pioneer is not a threat to upset Westmont, with its strong lineup from top to bottom. But the Mustangs could provide some battles for the Warriors in certain weight classes.

The best match of the day is expected at 171 pounds, when Westmont's Sean Brady takes on Pioneer's Rob Basuino. The two are among the best in the division in the weight class.

Tony Oka of Westmont could be tested by Pioneer's Chris Hammel at 152 pounds.

The Warriors improved to 5-0 in the division with a 67-12 win over Gunderson last week.

Westmont pinned in six weight classes on the way to the easy win over the Grizzlies.

Matt Hoover, Philip Doan, Oka, Brodie Gorman, Brady and Greg Woodland each won by fall to drive the Warriors to the team win.

Westmont lost at 103 pounds, but Hoover's third-round pin at 119 pounds was sandwiched by forfeit wins for Luong Vuong (112) and Phat Dinh (125).

Aaron Garcia rolled to a 14-2 win at 130 pounds. After Allen Rodriguez won by forfeit at 135 pounds, Pham Vo nailed a 7-1 victory at 140.

Westmont had already taken control of the match with six straight wins, but the Warriors won four more in a row--all four by fall.

Doan pinned with 50 seconds remaining in the first round at 145 pounds, and Oka won by fall in the second round at 152. Gorman pinned in the second round at 160 pounds, and Brady nailed a fall in the second round at 171.

Woodland capped the day for Westmont with a pin with 15 seconds remaining in the second round at heavyweight.

Panthers win

It took just three wins on the mat to lead the Prospect wrestling team to a 41-24 win over Yerba Buena last week. Joey Mannina and James Lucero each won by pin, and David Lam won on a technical fall to lead the Panthers to the victory. Prospect won by forfeit in four other weight classes.

Mannina, a favorite to finish among the top placers in the BVAL finals this weekend, pinned 49 seconds into the second round at 140 pounds for the Panthers.

But it was Lucero registering the quickest pin for Prospect. Lucero pinned in just 48 seconds at 125 pounds.

Lam got the Panthers off to a start in the match with a 22-4 technical fall victory at 103 pounds.

Prospect wrapped up the dual match season with a 2-3 record in the West Valley Division of the BVAL.

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