Wrestlers Dominate League Meet

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

After spending the first month of the season traveling to various tournaments the Palisades High wrestling team got its first chance to compete in its own gym last Wednesday evening and the Dolphins showed why they are one of the contenders for the City Section championship.

The Dolphins outscored a combined squad of the other five Coliseum League schools, 84-34.

“We looked alright tonight,” Pali High Coach Aldo Juliano said. “Everyone got matches and most of them got pins. We’ve gone to some really strong tournaments that have toughened us up and several kids will have a great shot at City.”

Edwin Duarte set the tone by pinning Bright Star’s Anthony Diaz-Gonzalez in 1:21 at 160 pounds  in the first preliminary match. Then the girls took the  mat and Pali High freshman Lily Topputo pinned Fremont’s Amber Lopez in 1:42 at 130 pounds. Topputo started wrestling in eighth grade under head coach Adam Hunter at Paul Revere Middle School and she practiced judo for six years at Sawtelle Judo Dojo, learning from, among others, mixed martial arts champion Ronda Rousey.

“The underhook headlock is my favorite move but for this match I did a pancake on her,” Topputo said. “I love the environment on this team—it’s a big part of my life. I’ve known Savannah [Newell] since sixth grade and I met Ashley [Osorio] this year.”      

Osorio was pinned by Fremont’s Mosura Cruz in the 150-pound division, then Newell pinned Fremont’s Maria Cortez at 170.

Max Much won by forfeit at 106 pounds, Parsa Pourmoula lost to Fremont’s Gustavo Ventura 9-3 at  120 and Kyle Santelices pinned West Adams’ Jose Enriquez in 1:45 at 126. Johnny Quero pinned Jorge Quex of Diego Rivera in the second round at 132 and Aaron “Peanut” Galef built an 18-5 lead before pinning Bright Star’s Edward Saloj in the second round at 138 pounds. At 145, Erick Quero scored a reversal to tie the score at 3-3 before winning by a fall midway through the third period against Bright Star’s Denilson Serano-Chavez. Chance Chapman pinned Jason Sosa of Fremont in 1:25 at 152 pounds.

Quickest pin honors went to Jake Carpenter, who needed only 20 seconds to get a three count against West Adams’ David Hilarto at 160. Afterwards, he described his winning manuever.

“I got him on a spladle. It’s a counter move where they shoot a single leg, you wizard, reach across their body and fall backwards,” Carpenter said. “And once you do it, it’s hard for them to escape.”         

Luke Hansen scored several early takedowns to build an 18-2 lead before pinning Bright Star’s Owen Serano in the second round at 170. Joseph Velado pinned Diego Rivera’s Jason Posadas in 1:35 at 182 and Emilio Albir needed just 51 seconds to pin Fremont’s Diego Santiago at 195.

Hamzah Alsaudi, the reigning City champion at 195 pounds, pinned Fremont’s Joey Medina in 1:43 at 220 and Immanuel Newell pinned Diego Rivera’s  Israel Contreras in 1:37 at 285 pounds.

“I pinned him with a torque,” Newell said. “I got stronger, faster and smarter over the summer. I can be 220 or heavyweight. My goal is to go to state.”     

On Friday and Saturday the Dolphins traveled to Temecula Valley for the 10th annual “Battle of the Belt” tournament and placed 32nd out of 78 schools.

After pinning his first four opponents at 220 pounds, Alsaudi dropped a 9-1 decision (his first defeat of the season) to top-seeded Victor Jaquez of Bellarmine Prep. He won his next match by fall but lost the third-place match 7-5 to Nick Villarreal of Gilroy.   

Galef won his first match in overtime, pinned his next opponent then lost in the round of 16 at 138. Velado lost in the quarterfinals at 182 and Chapman lost his first match but won three matches in the back draw before losing to 6-1 to Gustavo Mello of Santa Ana Calvary Chapel in the 160-pound division.