The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Down to the Wire: Willow Glen's Chris Ferraro battled Joseph Rubuicava to the wire but lost a 9-8 decision at 130 pounds against San Jose.

Rams, Raiders meet for title

By Dick Sparrer

Phil Luna figured it would come to this.

His Willow Glen wrestling team will visit Silver Creek this week, and the championship in the West Valley Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League will be on the line.

Luna knew it last week, even before his Rams battled San Jose Academy in a West Valley dual match. He figured his wrestlers would top the Bulldogs (which they did easily 69-9), and that they would go up against unbeaten Silver Creek this week to decide the championship.

The Rams will head to Creek on Feb. 12, 6:30 p.m., and the winner will walk away as division champion. Willow Glen takes a 4-1 record into the match; the Raiders are 5-0.

Should they pull off the victory, the Rams would claim Willow Glen's first league wrestling championship in 30 years.

Junior Lupe Duran (119 pounds), sophomore Kurt Watkins (145) and seniors Doug Murr (189) and Mike Von Rueden (215) will lead the Rams into the crucial match this week.

Three of the four won by fall in last week's lopsided victory over San Jose.

Duran, Watkins and Von Rueden each moved up a weight, but each came through with a pin to lead the Rams to the 69-9 victory over the Bulldogs.

Von Rueden pinned in just 55 seconds in the heayvweight division, making quick work of his San Jose opponent.

Duran won by fall 52 seconds into the third round at 125 pounds, and Watkins won with 58 seconds remaining in the second round at 152.

Daniel Lopez and Rodney Turco were other pin winners for the Rams against San Jose. Lopez pinned with 18 seconds left in the first round at 112 pounds, and Turco pinned 50 seconds into the second round at 160.

Greg Barone pulled out a 9-6 victory at 119 pounds for Willow Glen.

Gerard Newton (103), Jeff Ramirez (140), David Piech (145), Steve Klein (171), Murr (189) and Fernando Betancourt (215) each won by forfeit in the match.

Chris Ferraro lost a 9-8 heartbreaker to San Jose's Joseph Rubuicava at 130 pounds, and freshman Henry Chavez was pinned by Frankie Gomez at 135.

The two losses cut Willow Glen's lead to 21-9 early in the match, but the Rams finished off the Bulldogs with eight straight victories to cruise to the win.

The Rams will now face Silver Creek on Thursday before taking part in the BVAL tournament on Saturday at Independence. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. with the finals to begin late in the afternoon.

Mustangs pin win

Four first-round pins helped the Pioneer Mustangs pin their second win of the Santa Teresa Division season. Rob Basuino, Grant Murdock, Jeremy Atkinson and Chris Hammel each won by fall in the first round to lead the Mustangs to a 47-33 win over Lincoln last week.

Hammel started the string of quick pins with a fall at 1:16 of the first round at 152 pounds, and Basuino pinned with 50 seconds left in the first round at 171. Murdock put his opponent to his back with 26 left in the first at 189 pounds, and Atkinson pinned with 33 seconds remaining in the opening round at 215.

Paul Roman won by fall in the third round at 135 pounds for Pioneer, and Robert Jack rolled to a lopsided 18-2 victory at 140.

Travis Murdock (160) and Mike Hobson (103) each won by forfeit.

Pioneer will also head to Independence this weekend to take part in the league finals.

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