Wrestlers Dominate Dorsey, 72-9

In wrestling, the slightest lapse of concentration can be costly and Lofton Mason almost learned that lesson the hard way Thursday afternoon in Palisades High’s dual meet against Dorsey.

Seemingly in complete control of his match at 170 pounds, Mason found himself on the mat as the first period clock wound down. However, the Dolphins’ junior twisted his way out of trouble and in a span of 15 seconds reversed and pinned the Dons’ Durrel Johnson to add an exclamation mark to his team’s 72-9 Coliseum League victory at Mercer Hall.

“From watching their team they were gonna collar-tie me, so I was looking for my elbow presses but I felt good after I almost pinned him and got a few near falls,” Mason explained. “When he got me on my back I kept twerking my body and didn’t let my shoulders touch. I knew he was gassed so I just kept working, ended up on top and held it out for the pin.”

The Dolphins got byes in six of 14 weight classes (Erik Miranda at 106, Matt Au at 113, Lance Santelices at 128, Kevin Monterrubio at 132, Kevin Rosen at 138 and Marcelo Maya at 145), earning six points by default in each one against the undermanned Dons, but Mason was happy that he wrestled for his win.

“I had a bye last week against Fremont and I was disappointed because I wanted to work on some moves,” said Mason, who played outside linebacker on the varsity  football team in the fall. “It was pretty scary today because I was in full command and I didn’t want to blow it in front of all my friends and family.”

Five more Dolphins scored pins, including heavyweight Kenny Jones, who built a sizeable lead on three teakedowns before using a half nelson manuever to dispatch Dorsey’s Nahje Flowers with six seconds left in the first period.

“I’m improving every week, especially from the top position and knowing how to set my shots up,” said Jones, who placed fifth five days earlier at the Raul Huerta Memorial in Moreno Valley. “I want to be first in City and I don’t wanto to take it lightly. When I lost to [Birmingham’s] Danny Hernandez in December [at Rosemead] I got too pumped up and I wasn’t wrestling smart but I want to beat him.”

At 120 pounds, PaliHi junior Alex Smith won by fall in the second round versus Dorsey’s Alvaro Sanchez and Sam Reedy, who moved to the Palisades from West Virginia 13 months ago, won by fall in Round 2 at 152.

“I knew nothing about him  and if you don’t know somebody’s habits, stick to what you know,” Reedy said. “The tournaments I’ve gone to have really helped because if you don’t lose, you don’t get better.”

Freshman Carlos Velado got a pin late in the first period at 182 to improve to 3-3 on varsity.

“I started at 215 pounds but dropped down two months ago and I’m more comfortable at this weight,” said Velado, who started wrestling in sixth grade at Paul Revere Middle School under coach Adam Hunter. “I wanted to take him down as fast as I could and not get put on my back.”

Jack Garacochea, a junior transfer from St. Monica Catholic in Santa Monica, won by pin in the first period at 195 pounds.

“I usually go 184 so he had 14 pounds on me and when I got a double leg on him and drove I felt  the extra weight,” said Garacochea, who lives in Mandeville Canyon and went to Calvary Christian from preschool through eighth grade. “Tournaments are great because every time I lose I learn something.”

Chang Yoo lost a 4-2 decision at 160 and PaliHi defaulted at 220. Coach Randy Aguirre was most impressed by the guts of freshman heavyweight Matt Kline, who won his junior varsity match 4-2.

“He was so afraid that he was hiding from us at the weigh-in and I had to send out a search party,” Aguirre joked. “All it takes is one move to change a match and he got it. I was really proud of him.”

The Dolphins are undefeated in league with two dual meets left.