The Olympian High School wrestling team gathered on the floor of Eastlake High School’s gymnasium last Saturday once again as Metro Conference champions.
The Eagles captured both the varsity and junior varsity team titles for the second consecutive year — and in convincing fashion.
Olympian out-pointed runner-up Hilltop in the varsity team standings by a 452.5 to 146 margin. The Eagles racked up 227 points to Eastlake’s 63 points to soar to the JV team title.
The numbers speak for themselves.
Olympian finished with seven individual weight class champions in the varsity field — half of the field. The Eagles had 11 individual weight class champions in the JV field.
Olympian head coach Myron Griffin said the key to the program’s success the past two seasons has been in selling the sport to the school’s student-athletes.
“I think mostly it’s getting the kids involved to love the sport,” he said. “After that, it’s easy. They get off and running.
“But this has been beyond my expectations.”
The Eagles’ seven varsity champs included Zachary Ikaika Ramos (108 pounds), Ethan Ramos (134), Ethan Ryan Deguzman (147), David Rodriguez (154), Tyshawn Anderson (172), Rylen Gregorio (184) and Luis Castro (heavyweight).
Other varsity weight class champions included Mar Vista’s Julian Winnie (115), Mater Dei Catholic’s Anthony Ching (122), Mar Vista’s Roy Figueroa (128), Bonita Vista’s TyDarrius Wallis (140), Otay Ranch’s Axell Perez (162), Christopher Gomez-Dominguez (197) and Montgomery’s Andrew Villagomez (222).
Winnie earned MVP lower weight honors while Villagomez received the MVP upper weight award.
Ramos is a returning state meet qualifier. Griffin feels Castro will be knocking on the door for the same honor this season.
“Our heavyweight is having a crazy good year,” the Olympian coach said. “He’s having an unequaled season. He’s right there in the top two in the county.”
The top four wrestlers at the San Diego Section Masters state-qualifying tournament, which Olympian will host Feb. 23-24, will advance to the state championship meet in Bakersfield.
Griffin feels there are other wrestlers on his team who have what it takes to become state meet qualifiers. Among them are Deguzman, Anderson and Luke Parra, who competed at 162 pounds at last weekend’s conference finals but whom Griffin feels would be better suited to qualify at a lower weight.
Parra finished second to Otay Ranch’s Perez by a 10-5 decision at last weekend’s conference finals.
“We have a couple more who are talented enough to make it,” Griffin said.
Next up
Olympian will compete in Saturday’s San Diego Section dual meet championships at Rancho Bernardo High School. The Eagles are seeded fourth in the Division I field and will match up against top-seeded San Marcos in the semifinals.
Semifinal winners advance to the championship match while semifinal losers will compete in the consolation (third place) match.
Mira Mesa and Vista will compete in the other Division I semifinal.
Olympian is the only Mesa League team competing this year in the four divisional dual meet tournament. Mar Vista will represent the South Bay League.
The individual section wrestling finals follow on Feb. 17. Olympian will compete in the Division I tournament at Canyon Crest Academy.
Locally, Montgomery will host the Division III tournament while Mater Dei Catholic will host the Division IV tournament. Poway High School will host the Division II tournament.
Soaring Eagles
Olympian captured the team title at the San Pasqual Invitational tournament on Jan. 20. The Eagles out-pointed runner-up Mira Mesa 219-186.5 to finish atop the 23-team field.
Weight class champions included Raphael Sanvictores (128), Ethan Ramos (134) and Luis Castro (287).
Runner-up finishers for the Eagles included Ethan Deguzman (147), Ryan Wolley (154) and Tyshawn Anderson (162). Shaihi Baker (222) finished third.
Monte Vista Invitational
Sweetwater’s Joseph Fonseca captured the 138-pound championship at the Jan. 13 tournament while Mar Vista had two finalists: Julian Winnie (second, 113) and Roy Figueroa (second, 132). San Ysidro’s Israel Ramirez finished second at 120 pounds.
Mar Vista led Metro Conference teams with a ninth-place finish while San Ysidro was 10th in the 28-team field.
2018 METRO CONFERENCE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Varsity Tournament
108 Pounds
Championship: Zachary Ikaika Ramos (Olympian) won by 4-2 decision over Christian Aguilera (Hilltop).
Third place: Jesus Plasencia (Eastlake) won by 4-3 decision over Adrian Plascencia (San Ysidro).
115 Pounds
Championship: Julian Winnie (Mar Vista) won by 2:55 fall over Antonio Collazo (Eastlake)
Third place: Marc Nunez (Hilltop) won by 12-2 major decision over Ricardo Castillo (Bonita Vista).
122 POUNDS
Championship: Anthony Ching (Mater Dei) won by 19-4 technical fall over Israel Ramirez (San Ysidro).
Third place: Jacob Mejia (Eastlake) won by 5-4 decision over Avery Burgi (Otay Ranch).
128 Pounds
Championship: Roy Figueroa (Mar Vista) won by 5-4 decision over Jason Harlan (Mater Dei Catholic).
Third place: Raphael Sanvictores (Olympian) won by injury default over Samuel Torres (Hilltop).
134 Pounds
Championship: Ethan Ramos (Olympian) won by 7-1 decision over Joseph Fonseca (Sweetwater).
Third place: Axel Velazquez (Castle Park) won by fall over Enrique Diaz (Mar Vista).
140 Pounds
Championship: TyDarrius Wallis (Bonita Vista) won by 4:16 fall over Dylan Kohler (Eastlake).
Third place: Michael Esquer (Mater Dei Catholic) won by 10-0 major decision over Mico Gonzalez (Olympian)
147 Pounds
Championship: Ethan Ryan Deguzman (Olympian) won by 10-3 decision over Guillermo Gonzalez (Sweetwater).
Third place: Daniel Reyes (Bonita Vista) won by 1:44 fall over Thomas Loughner (Hilltop).
154 Pounds
Championship: David Rodriguez (Olympian) won by 0:48 fall over John Telmo (Sweetwater).
Third place: Joseph Castillo (Hilltop) won by 2-0 decision over Santiago Contreras (Otay Ranch).
162 Pounds
Championship: Axell Perez (Otay Ranch) won by 10-5 decision over Luciano Parra (Olympian).
Third place: Christian Silva (Mater Dei Catholic) won by 3:42 fall over Jarren Fabunan (San Ysidro).
172 Pounds
Championship: Tyshawn Anderson (Olympian) won by 12-6 decision over Matthew Frith (Mar Vista).
Third place: Marcelo Avila (Otay Ranch) won by 1:30 fall over Tyler Murillo (Hilltop).
184 Pounds
Championship: Rylen Gregorio (Olympian) won by 5-3 decision over Oscar Luna (Southwest).
Third place: Roberto Porras (Sweetwater) won by 8-2 decision over Samuel Hernandez (Montgomery).
197 Pounds
Championship: Christopher Gomez- Dominguez (Hilltop) won by 5:45 fall over Diego Sanchez (Olympian).
Third place: Uziel Roldan (Southwest) won by 6-3 decision over Jose Sanchez (Montgomery).
222 Pounds
Championship: Andrew Villagomez (Montgomery) won by 1:12 fall over Michael Miller (Bonita Vista).
Third place: Shaihi Baker (Olympian) won in 12-11 in double overtime over Noah Ballesteros (Southwest).
287 Pounds
Championship: Luis Castro (Olympian) won by 6-3 decision over Sergio Carzoli (Eastlake).
Third place: Omar Caro (Hilltop) won by 7-2 decision over Jacob Mendez (Otay Ranch).
Team Standings
Points: 1. Olympian 452.5, 2. Hilltop 146, 3. Eastlake 144, 4. Bonita Vista 97.5, 5. Otay Ranch 96, 6. Sweetwater 92, 7. San Ysidro 86, 8. Mater Dei Catholic 84, 9. Castle Park 75, 10. Mar Vista 72, 11. (tie) Montgomery, Southwest 46, 13. Chula Vista 15
Junior Varsity Tournament
Champions
108: Joseph Leon (Hilltop)
115: Daniel Castillo (Sweetwater)
122: Jacob Neiman (Olympian)
128: Ralph Magsino(Olympian)
134: Tyler Krecklow (Bonita Vista)
140: Cruz Alarcon (Olympian)
147: Gavyn Byrd (Olympian)
154: Marko Alvarez (Olympian)
162: John Rodriguez (Olympian)
172: Lance Lucas (Olympian)
184: German Corea (Olympian)
197: Brian Reyes (Olympian)
222: Sergio Marquez (Olympian)
287: Julyan Taylor (Olympian)
Team Standings
Points: 1. Olympian 227, 2. Eastlake 63, 3. Castle Park 61, 4. San Ysidro 45, 5. Hilltop 36.5, 6. Bonita Vista 34, 7. Sweetwater 26, 8. Otay Ranch 23, 9. Mater Dei Catholic 16, 10. Montgomery 4. 11. (tie) Chula Vista, Mar Vista, Southwest 0
San Diego Section
Dual Meet Championships
When: Saturday, Feb. 10
Where: Rancho Bernardo High School
Format: Four teams in each division (Division I, Division II, Division III and Division IV) will participate. All divisions will wrestle on the same day. Each team may weigh in a maximum of 20 wrestlers.
Teams are selected based on strength of schedule, dual meet records, league championships, tournament records, overall record and committee recommendations.
Schedule: Semifinals (Division I and Division III), 9:30 a.m. Semifinals (Division II and Division IV), 11 a.m. Third-place matches (all divisions), 12:30 p.m. Championship matches (all divisions), 2 p.m.
Awards: Only the championship team and runner-up teams will receive awards.
