Sierra Vista to Host Dual Tournament Friday, Falls to Walnut 45-21 in Non-League Meet

WALNUT – The Walnut High School wrestling team swept through the first ten matches of its dual meet against the visiting Sierra Vista Dons en route to a 45-21 non-league matchup Wednesday night at Walnut gym.

“We had wrestlers wrestling out of position and we paid for it tonight,” dons head coach Tony Gonzalez said. “They were a more disciplined team out there, and they didn’t make too many mistakes.”

Despite losing the first 10 matches of the meet, Sierra Vista was able to avoid the shutout as the Mustangs failed to field a wrestler at the 185 pound weight class.  After the forfeit, the Dons took the momentum and won the final three matches, two via pins by Sergio Gonzalez at 195 pounds and Ivan Alvarado at 220 pounds.

“We usually don’t have matches this early in the season,” Gonzalez said,” but they (Walnut) asked if we would like to dual them, so I said yes.”

The two teams will meet again this weekend when Sierra Vista hosts an 11-way dual tournament beginning this weekend.  Local schools including Sierra Vista, Walnut, Covina, Rowland, Ganesha and Pomona are some of the schools scheduled to participate.

Despite losing their matches, Ruben Rosas, Abraham Soto and Henry Gonzalez and especially Diego Sandoval gave competitive matches to their opponents. 

Soto kept up pace with Walnut’s Michael Sill before pinned in the first quarter.  Sandoval closed the gap to 6-5, and then scored right at the buzzer and fell just short 7-6 against Walnut’s Rodd Goldstein.

We need to work on our intensity, “Gonzalez said. “We look to work out the kinks and correct mistakes.  We will be better at the end of the year.”

Match Summary

106 Dominick Castner (W) def Ruben Rosas (SV) 10-8

113 Dustin Mecate (W) pins Richie Nguyen (SV) :52.1 1st

120 Kenny Oda (W) def Richie Valverde(SV) 4-0

126 Freddie Hsiao (W) pins Michael Miranda (SV) :8.4 1st

132 John Long (W) wins by forfeit

138 Stan Nhan (W) def Henry Gonzalez (SV) 11-7

145 Michael Sills (W) pins Abraham Soto :19 1st

152 Rodd Goldstein (W) def Diego Sandavol (SV) 7-6

160 Roger Lian (W) pins Nathan Saldano (SV) 1:19 2nd

170 Ben Harrison (W) def Joe Torres (SV) 8-5

182 Greg Orozco (SV) wins by forfeit

195 Sergio Gonzalez (SV) pins Josh Abeyta (W) :51.8 1st

220 Ivan Alvarado (SV) pins Josh Lopez (W) 1:52 3rd

Heavyweight Issac Aguilar (SV) def Tristen Jimenez (W) 5-0