Caine Elroy, Fountain Valley able to fend off CdM in Surf League wrestling opener
Spectators and teammates moved to the edge of their seats, breaking into chants as the Surf League dual meet opener hung in the balance on Wednesday at Corona del Mar High.
It came down to the last match, with the Fountain Valley wrestling team needing a result to keep a decade-long streak alive.
Senior Caine Elroy gave up the first takedown, but he emerged the unlikely hero in Fountain Valley’s 33-30 win over Corona del Mar.
Elroy earned a 9-2 decision over Anthony Leon in the heavyweight division, a match that immediately followed a pivotal bout. Eugenio Franco had just earned a 5-4 decision over Ryland Whitworth at 220 pounds, reversing his fortunes from the weekend’s final in the Mann Classic at Marina High, to pull the Sea Kings even at 30-30.
“Our heavyweight, Dylan Bunbury, couldn’t make it, and so I had to step up for our team, and I’m glad I was able to,” Elroy said. “Coach was talking all week about how we haven’t lost a dual meet in 13 years. We want to keep a streak going and show our dominance and that our work pays off.
“Watching the matches, it came down to the nitty-gritty. We lost some team points. We won some matches. … I knew [Leon] over there, he’s a solid wrestler, he did better than me last week at the tournament, but I knew I had to bring it home for my team. I knew that they needed a clutch performance.”
Fountain Valley and Corona del Mar placed second and third, respectively, in the team standings of the Mann Classic on Saturday.
After three consecutive finals appearances in the CIF Southern Section dual meet wrestling championships — winning titles in 2020 and 2022 — the Sea Kings were promoted from the Wave League to the Surf League.
The showdown on Wednesday marked the first league meeting between Corona del Mar (10-1 overall, 0-1 in the Surf League) and Fountain Valley (1-0 overall and in league). The Barons are ranked third in the section’s Division 1 and 2 combined poll (last released on Dec. 5), while the Sea Kings did not appear in those rankings.
“They don’t see this as the pinnacle of our year,” CdM coach Mark Alex said of his team. “They see this as proof that our hard work is working, and that if we keep along the path, we’ll be even better and better to the end of the season.”
In a match of runs, Fountain Valley got off to the fast start with successive pins from Hunter Jauregui and twin brothers Liam and Chris Qureshi. Chris Qureshi polished off the victory by fall with just two seconds left in the third period. Those points would matter after the Barons lost three team points due to two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Corona del Mar would win the next four matches, a stretch that included pins from JJ Strapp, Loscar Riestra and James Kurcz.
Nico Naranjo, a senior wrestling at the varsity level for the first time, ended CdM’s run in the middle weights with an 8-2 decision over Porter Sharp in the 152-pound match.
“It’s awesome,” Naranjo said of wrestling for the Barons, who are seeking their 12th consecutive league title. “I’m actually very grateful that I’m out here on a good team and get to be a part of this and grow with these guys that have been in the game for a long time.”
In another key match that provided for the late drama, Antonio Aramburu was awarded a takedown of Hercules Windrath along the boundary in the first overtime of the 160-pound bout.
“Antonio is a control wrestler, so it might look like he’s stalling because he’s not doing much, but since he doesn’t back up, he won’t get called for stalling,” Alex said. “He’s always going forward. He’s very cautious, takes good shots, so most of his wins are quick pins or low-scoring. … He just puts pressure on people, constant pressure. … It’s so hard to take him down, so guys start getting frustrated and start making mistakes, and [if] they make a mistake with Antonio, he capitalizes.”
Brothers TJ and Khale McDonnell received walkovers for Fountain Valley.
“It was a fun environment,” Fountain Valley coach Brad Woodbury said. “As I get older, it gets a little nerve-wracking for me, but kids stepped up that needed to step up. We knew that we were going to have trouble at some weights, but everyone did a good job. In the end, we pulled it off.”
WRESTLING
Surf League
Fountain Valley 33, Corona del Mar 30
106 — Hunter Jauregui (FV) pins Luke Miller (CdM), 0:52.
113 — Liam Qureshi (FV) pins Brady Mercer (CdM), 1:02.
120 — Chris Qureshi (FV) pins Vallon Johannesson (CdM), 5:58.
126 — Angelo Gonzalez (CdM) dec. Mathew Phillips (FV), 13-6.
132 — JJ Strapp (CdM) pins Mason Williams (FV), 1:24.
138 — Loscar Riestra (CdM) pins Jaden Reid (FV), 1:11.
145 — James Kurcz (CdM) pins Jacob Parker (FV), 1:18.
152 — Nico Naranjo (FV) dec. Porter Sharp (CdM), 8-2.
160 — Antonio Aramburu (FV) dec. Hercules Windrath (CdM), 3-1/OT.
170 — Khale McDonnell (FV) wins by forfeit.
182 — Zion Hernandez (CdM) dec. Rocky Windrath (FV), 11-6.
195 — TJ McDonnell (FV) wins by forfeit.
220 — Eugenio Franco (CdM) dec. Ryland Whitworth (FV), 5-4.
285 — Caine Elroy (FV) dec. Anthony Leon (CdM), 9-2.
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