Wrestling: Falcons clinch conference title with win

Larry Rodriguez and the Falcons defeated Rio Hondo, 34-13
Larry Rodriguez and the Falcons defeated Rio Hondo, 34-13

On the strength of their 34-13 Southwest Conference win over visiting Rio Hondo College on Thursday night, the Cerritos College wrestling team has clinched the conference title. The Falcons, who will be hosting Mt. San Antonio College next Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., are 3-0 in the conference with the one match remaining. It's their fourth conference championship in the last nine years and 26th in school history.

125 Pounds - Johnny Vargas (MSAC) def. Navid Mirzaei (CERR), 9-8
The Roadrunners took an early 3-0 team score lead, but not before freshman Navid Mirzaei (Torrance HS) battled back from a 6-0 deficit after the first period. His comeback started in the second period with a reversal and four-point near fall, and then a two-point near fall to take an 8-6 lead. Vargas tied the match on a reversal with :51 seconds left and earned an extra point with his riding time. Mirzaei tried to earn the escape point, but time ran out.

133 Pounds - Andres Gonzalez (CERR) def. Khalil Tucker, RHC), 11-5
It was a quick 4-0 lead for Rio Hondo's Khalil Tucker, as he came out in the match to recorded a quick takedown and two-point near fall. But freshman Andres Gonzalez (Capistrano Valley HS) slowly started to work his way back into the match and tied it at 4-4 after the first three minutes. Gonzalez picked up an escape point to start the second period and then took down Tucker before putting the match out of reach with a solid third period. Gonzalez picked up another escape point and a takedown before finishing the match with a bonus point for his riding time.

141 Pounds - Nick Camacho (CERR) def. Rudy Bojorquez (RHC), 16-1
Not even needing a full first period, sophomore Nick Camacho (Paramount HS) had his way with Rudy Bojorquez. After taking him down and releasing him, Camacho posted another takedown and then three consecutive four-point near falls to finish off the match with :23 seconds still remaining in the first period.

149 Pounds - Richard Gurule (CERR) def. Marco De La Torre (RHC), 18-3
Freshman Richard Gurule (Santa Ana Calvary Chapel HS) followed the example of Camacho and raced out to an 8-0 first period lead after a takedown and a pair of near-fall points. It was 10-0 in the second period and Gurule continued to pile up the points before ending the match with :15 seconds left in the second period after a four-point near fall resulted in a technical fall.

157 Pounds - Larry Rodriguez (CERR) pinned Steven Encinas (RHC), 3:37
Holding a commanding 14-1 lead after the first period, which included three straight near fall points for freshman Larry Rodriguez (Santa Ana Calvary Chapel HS), he ended the match with a pin 3:37 into the match. It was a 15-1 lead when Rodriguez pinned Encinas.

165 Pounds - Anthony Perez (CERR) win by forfeit

174 Pounds - Chris Montoya (RHS) def. Joshua Bustamonte (CERR), 27-13
The wildest match of the night, Chris Montoya of Rio Hondo came close to ending the match in the first period with a pair of four-point near falls. Trailing 16-4 after the first period, freshman Joshua Bustamonte (La Serna HS) seemed to be making a move in the second period with a pair of takedowns. But he couldn't close the gap and ended up dropping the 27-13 decision.

184 Pounds - Jarrod Nunez (CERR) pinned Daniel Park (RHC), 2:18
It only took one takedown for freshman Jarrod Nunez (Mayfair HS) to get in position to pin Daniel Park. He worked Park to his back and earned the six-point pin just 2:18 into the match.

197 Pounds - Andy Voonh (RHC) pinned Deniss Hernandes (CERR), 3:36
It was a close 3-2 lead for Voonh over freshman Deniss Hernandes (Beaumont HS) after the first period. After starting the second period even, which gave Voonh an escape point, Hernandes was taken down and then pinned 3:36 into the match.

285 Pounds - Randy Gonzalez (CERR) def. Diego Sanchez (RHC), 9-3
The final match of the night was scoreless after the first period, with freshman Randy Gonzalez (Lakewood HS) trailing Diego Sanchez, 2-1 after the second period. But in the third, Gonzalez was able to get around Sanchez for a two-point reversal and then got him on his back for a four-point near fall. After letting Sanchez up, Gonzalez finished the scoring with a late takedown for a 9-3 win.

Photos by Daryl Peterson