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Rams upbeat about move up
WG wrestlers open league with victory
By Dick Sparrer
Sometimes there's a downside to winning a division championship in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. It often means that a team must move up to a tougher division the following year.
That's what happened to the Willow Glen wrestling team. The Rams won the championship in the West Valley Division of the BVAL last winter, and now they find themselves in the more rugged Santa Teresa Division. But WG boss Phil Luna doesn't see the move was a downer for his Rams. In fact, Luna is pretty upbeat about the move up to the next division.
"We're looking pretty strong," said Luna, whose squad opened action in the new division with a rousing 46-21 win over Mt. Pleasant.
Luna should discover just how strong his Rams are when they hit the road to visit Leland on Jan. 4, 6:30 p.m. "The true tests for us are going to be Leland and Andrew Hill," said the Willow Glen coach.
The Rams got off to a strong start with five pins in the lopsided win over the Cardinals.
Senior sensation Daniel Lopez started things off right for the Rams with a second-round fall at 119 pounds against the Cards.
Alvin Rideau pinned in just 47 seconds at 130 pounds and freshman Steven Lopez came through with a quick first-round fall at 145.
Adam Copas pinned in 50 seconds at 152 pounds and Jesse Hendricks pinned in 52 seconds at 189.
Freshman Mike Jaramillo came through with a 14-10 win at 125 pounds for the Rams, and solid senior Fernando Betancourt rolled to a 10-2 major decision win at 215.
John Belveal was a 6-2 winner at 135, Henry Chavez posted a 7-2 win at 140 and Kurt Watkins nailed a 9-2 victory at 171.
The Rams, who will compete in the Live Oak Tournament this weekend, finished 13th in the 38-team Clyde Forrest Tournament in Concord earlier this month.
D. Lopez was third at 112 pounds with Betancourt fourth at 215 and Chavez fifth in a 135. "[Lopez and Betancourt] look like the guys who have the best chance of doing some damage in league, if they can stay strong and stay healthy," said Luna.
But the coach is looking for good things from varsity returners Chavez and Eric Lupercio and transfers Belveal and Watkins.
Betancourt and Lupercio each return for a fourth season at Willow Glen, and D. Lopez, Chavez and Watkins are competing for a third year for the Rams. Chavez has returned to Willow Glen after transferring to Valley Christian last year. Belveal is a transfer from St. Francis. Chavez is a junior, the rest all seniors.
"We're pretty much senior loaded," said the coach.
Ram firsts
Willow Glen has already experienced a couple of wrestling firsts at the school this winter. The Rams have fielded their first ever girls team, and they hosted their first ever tournament when they put on a junior varsity dual match tourney in December.
Three girls have joined the Willow Glen team this season, and all three have already placed in tournament action.
Jennifer Olszewski finished second at 135 pounds for the Rams at the Riordan Classic in December, and Jennifer Mummy was third at 140 pounds and Melissa Reyes was fourth in the same weight division at the Del Mar Tournament.
An all-freshman Willow Glen team finished fifth in the school's first tournament. Bellarmine won the team title with Mitty second in the 16-team tourney.
Jaramillo (125 pounds), Adrian Morales (140) and S. Lopez (145) each posted 3-0 records in the tourney for Willow Glen and Joe Sparacino (152) and Richard Salaz (135) were each 2-1.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
