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Sports Beat
Good bye to the senior wrestlers
By Dick Sparrer
The seniors will wrestle at home just one more time when Willow Glen hosts Piedmont Hills in the final match of the regular season in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
The Rams, who have already clinched a dual match championship in the division, will present "Senior Night" when they host Piedmont at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 9. Willow Glen takes a 5-0 league record into the match and can wrap up a perfect season with a victory.
Fernando Betancourt and Erik Lupercio, both four-year wrestlers in the Willow Glen program, will top the list of seniors competing in their last match on the WG mat. Daniel Lopez, John Belveal, Jessie Hendricks and Kurt Watkins are other seniors who will be honored on Wednesday.
But no sooner will they roll up the mats after Wednesday's bout with the Pirates, than the Rams will be preparing for the BVAL tournament coming up Saturday at Gunderson. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. with the top seven placers in each weight class advancing to the Central Coast Section finals.
The coach ranks Betancourt, D. Lopez, Belveal, Hendricks, Lupercio, Watkins and Henry Chavez as prospects who could place high enough at the league meet to advance to CCS.
Willow Glen placed sixth at the BVAL junior varsity finals last week, with four wrestlers--all freshmen-- placing among the league leaders.
Freshman Adrian Morales topped the list of placers with an individual title at 140 pounds. He pinned all of his opponents, including a junior from Valley Christian in the finals.
"He was down 4-1 with five seconds left in the second round," said Luna of Morales. "But he shot and got a takedown, and then he knew he had the guy."
Morales won by fall in the third round to pin the title, despite entered the tournament unseeded. It marked the fourth time this season that Morales has placed in a tournament.
Tommy Walsh was fifth at 135, Frank Sariana was fifth at 114, and Fidel Gonzalez was sixth at 130.
"We took 15 freshmen to the tournament, and we placed sixth," said Luna. "We were pretty impressed."
Willow Glen was coming off a solid showing at the Del Mar frosh-soph tournament.
Sophomore Mike Jaramillo won a title at 121 pounds, and Morales was second at 140. Gonzalez ended up fifth at 130, Steve Lopez was fifth at 145, Walsh was fifth at 135, Matt Zapien was fifth at 145, and Manuel Cousino was sixth at 145.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
