Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Pins and Needles: Willow Glen's John Belveal works for a 4-1 decision win at 135 pounds in the Rams' 43-29 team win over Hill. Belveal came back with a third-place finish at the JFK tournament.
Rams pin Hill with big mat loss
Lopez outstanding at JFK tournament
By Dick Sparrer
Phil Luna isn't complaining.
And why should he be? After all, his Willow Glen wrestling team is undefeated in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. And if the Rams knock off Piedmont Hills this week, they'll have their second straight league championship in two different divisions.
"We're pretty happy with where we sit," said Luna.
Where they sit is alone in first place. And that's just where they'll finish if the Rams can get by the Pirates this week.
"That's sure to be a tough one," admitted Luna. "They have two real good kids at positions where we're not real strong."
Willow Glen was strong enough to knock off unbeaten Andrew Hill a couple of weeks back, giving the Rams sole ownership of the division lead.
The Rams, who improved to 5-0 in the division with a rousing 54-24 win over Del Mar last week, whipped the Falcons 43-29. Hill slipped to 3-1 with the loss.
"There were more than 250 people there," said Luna of the big crowd on hand for the match against Hill. And the Willow Glen fans cheered the Rams on to the important victory.
Daniel Lopez rolled to a 17-8 major decision win at 119, and John Belveal pulled out a 4-1 victory at 135 to help the Rams get out to an early lead in the match.
Memo Rivera won on an injury default at 171, and Jessie Hendricks and Fernando Betancourt pinned to clinch the Willow Glen victory. Hendricks won by fall in a quick 26 seconds at 189 pounds, and Bettancourt pinned with four seconds left in the second round at 215.
Salvadore Campagna (112), Daniel Valdez (125) and Alvin Rideau (130) each won by forfeit to account for 18 team points for the Rams.
Rams down Dons
Willow Glen had an easy time of it a week later against Del Mar. Henry Chavez pinned with 20 seconds remaining in the first round at 140 pounds for Willow Glen's only victory on the mat, but the Rams picked up eight forfeit wins in a lopsided 54-24 victory.
Joe Sparacino, Mike Jaramillo, Rideau, Steven Lopez, Ben Dambro, Rivera, Betancourt and Erik Lupercio all claimed forfeit wins in the match.
Rams third at JFK
Daniel Lopez must have been worn out after competing in the Titan Shootout wrestling tournament at John F. Kennedy High School in Fremont.
Sure, he wrestled--and won--four matches at the tournament to claim an individual championship. But that wasn't all. He also had to climb the victory stand... twice.
Because not only did Lopez win a title at the Shootout, he also won an outstanding wrestler award.
Lopez, Willow Glen's talented 114-pounder, won four straight matches to claim the crown in his weight class. He was also named the outstanding wrestler in the lower weights.
Lopez topped a list of six Willow Glen placers as the Rams nailed a team third behind Mt. Pleasant and Los Altos.
Mt. Pleasant ran up 139 points to win the team title, with Los Altos a close second at 138. Willow Glen was third at 130 with Los Gatos and Mitty sharing fourth with 127 points each. Interestingly, Willow Glen whipped Mt. Pleasant, and Los Gatos crushed Los Altos in dual matches within their respective leagues.
Lopez starred for the Rams at the tournament, winning four matches in impressive fashion. He opened with two pins, then won by technical fall in the semifinals before pulling out a 4-3 thriller in the title match.
"He's just mowing through people," said Willow Glen coach Phil Luna.
But as impressive as Lopez's performance was, it was four unseeded wrestlers who drew the highest praise from Luna.
Hendricks was third at 189, Lupercio was third at 275, Rivera was fourth at 160, and Rideau was fifth at 140.
"To go in unseeded, and do what they did is outstanding," said Luna.
Joining the others on the victory stand were Betancourt, who was second at 215, and Belveal, who finished third at 130.
"We had five guys in the semifinals," said the coach.
Belveal beat the tournament's No. 3 and No. 4 seeds on his way to a third-place finish at 130 pounds.
"He's a real tough kid," said Luna of Belveal, "and he's getting better every week."
Lupercio was unseeded at 275, but he beat the top two seeds in the division before claiming third with a pin in his final match.
"He was on his back," said Luna of Lupercio. "Somehow he got out, and then he pinned the kid."
Hendricks was equally as impressive at 189. He beat the No. 2 seed from Los Gatos, then pinned an opponent from San Lorenzo Valley to nail third.
Rivera topped the No. 2 and No. 4 seeds to claim fourth at 160.
"That was his first tournament of the year," said Luna of Rivera, who has missed much of the year with an injury. "The more matches he got, the more confidence he got."
Rideau finished fifth at 140.
"He came through with some huge points for us," said Luna. "He's wrestled out of his body this week. It was fun to watch him wrestle."
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
