The high school wrestling season is entering the final third of the season, and perhaps its most important part as teams prepare to sew up league championships and wrestlers focus on qualifying for the upcoming state finals.
East County mat men took one more step in that direction after competing in last weekend’s Holtville Invitational in Imperial County. Steele Canyon, Granite Hills and Valhalla all earned valuable prestige points.
The high school wrestling season is entering the final third of the season, and perhaps its most important part as teams prepare to sew up league championships and wrestlers focus on qualifying for the upcoming state finals.
East County mat men took one more step in that direction after competing in last weekend’s Holtville Invitational in Imperial County. Steele Canyon, Granite Hills and Valhalla all earned valuable prestige points.
The Cougars rocked the 29-team field with a fourth-place team finish while the Eagles finished 11th and the Norsemen finished 18th.
Valhalla’s Trevor Burningham led the way by winning the 162-pound individual weight class title while Steele Canyon’s Colin Forman (184) and Logan Stately (222) both recorded second-place finishes.
Other medalists for Steele Canyon included Ryan Maynard (fifth, 128), Anthony Gambirazio (fifth, 140), Kelvin Schneemann (fifth, 172) and Johnathan Fischer (fifth, 197).
Other medalists for Granite Hills included Shea Wheatley (third, 140), Francisco Saavedra (287) and Chase Shirley (fourth, 172).
Walt Bailey (sixth, 154) also medalled for Valhalla.
Rancho Bernardo won the team title at the two-day tournament that wrapped up Feb. 1. Brawley finished second, followed by Escondido. Following the Cougars in the team standings were Holtville (fifth), Mira Mesa (sixth), Eastlake (seventh), Morse (eighth), Southwest El Centro (ninth) and Central Union (10th).
CIF notepad
Steele Canyon’s Forman is ranked second in his 184-pound weight class in the San Diego Section while El Cajon Valley’s Leon Shlemoon is ranked third at 147 pounds.
Sites for this year’s divisional championships, scheduled Feb. 22, have been announced: Division I (Escondido), Division II (Westview), Olympian (Division III) and Mt. Miguel (Division IV). Start time is 9 a.m., with finals scheduled to start at approximately 5 p.m.
The San Diego Masters state-qualifying tournament is scheduled Feb. 28 to March 1 at Mission Hills High School. Start time is 10 a.m. on Feb. 28 and 9:30 a.m. on March 1. Finals are scheduled to start at approximately 5 p.m. on March 1. The top seven-place finishers in both the Division I and Division II tournaments advance to compete in the San Diego Masters tournament while the top six place-finishers in the Division III tournament and top four place-finishers in the Division IV tournament also advance.
The top three place-finishers at the Masters meet advance to compete at the state championship meet March 7-8 in Bakersfield. The top six place-finishers at Masters will receive medals.
