By Brandon Yung
Staff Writer
After a bout of some of the toughest tournaments in the area, the wrestling team is poised for success in future tournaments. However, the team still struggles with having a diversity in weight classes, a problem that dragged down the team last year.
The team’s most recent tournament took place at Gabrielino High School on Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12. The team came home with first, second, and third place medals, earned by senior Emiliano Sornoso (152 lb), sophomore Sebastian Chinen (145 lb) and two other wrestlers, respectively. The dual meet involved ten competing schools, including La Cañada, Hoover, and St. Paul, which are part of the Rio
Hondo League.
The Tigers’ perseverance proved to be their strongest asset during the ten way dual. Sornoso’s wins came primarily from pins, barring one win due to technical fall, a win given by having a fifteen point advantage. Sornoso’s strong performance earned him a 9-0 record and first place spot.
The Chinen came in with eight out of his nine matches, losing only to a senior from Hoover. What set Chinen apart from his competition was stamina as he won most of his matches by either pin, or point advantage. One of his matches was even won by a single point given from an escape performed in the final seconds of the last period of the match.
The third place medal went to Parker Bell and Fernando Sornoso of the 170 lb weight class. The two switched off for the single weight slot, winning seven out of the nine matches they wrestled.
With a record of 4-1, the team also competed in the Ara Kumjian tournament, taking place at San Marino on December 5, the weekend after Thanksgiving. Out of the four wrestlers who participated, only senior Jason Takarabe (160 lb) was able to place in the highly competitive scene. Takarabe was able to muscle his way to 3rd place in his weight class, mostly winning his matches with points from takedowns.
The wrestling squad will be heading to Downey for their next tournament, on Friday, December 18.
