Prep wrestling: Tars’ Lim runner-up

COSTA MESA - Newport Harbor High senior wrestler Bruce Lim came

excruciatingly close to the 119-pound championship, but had to settle for

second place at the 37-school Estancia Tournament, completed Saturday at

the Eagles’ gym.

Lim, who earned a 15-3 win over an opponent from Katella in the

semifinals, battled Centennial of Corona’s Matt Schuum valiantly into

overtime, before falling, 10-8, in the title match.

Estancia senior Nathan Thaler finished third at 215 pounds, while sophomore teammate Victor Carmona was fourth at 125.

But Lim, who went 4-1 in the tournament to improve to 17-2, was the

only finalist. He built a 5-0 lead with a takedown and near-fall in the

first period, but Schumm outscored him, 6-1, in the second to forge a

deadlock. Both scored twice in the third period, before Schuum earned the

decisive takedown less than a minute into the first two-minute overtime

period, according to Newport Coach Dominic Bulone.

“It was a heartbreaker,” Bulone said.

Corona del Mar senior 160-pounder Blake Hacker defaulted his matches

Saturday because of a swollen knee, an existing injury he aggravated

Friday while earning a berth in the semifinals.

“If it would’ve been for CIF,” CdM Coach Gary Almquist said, “we

would’ve taped his legs together for him to wrestle. But, (Hacker) is a

tough kid. He’ll rebound. We want to get him in the state tournament.”

After sitting out the first round with a bye on Friday, Hacker waited

nearly seven hours before wrestling his first match. He defeated Ryan

Whelan of Huntington Beach, 5-1, but Hacker injured his knee.

Hacker had built an 18-1 record before defaulting Saturday.

The Estancia tournament featured 335 wrestlers, competing on six mats.

Centennial won the team title, while Payson of Arizona, last year’s

champion, finished second. El Dorado was third.