Wrestling: Ocean View’s Vu going to state meet
EASTVALE – A tumultuous year has turned triumphant for Ocean View High girls’ wrestler Angie Vu.
The junior transferred into the Seahawks program amid a scandal at Fountain Valley High School. Vu and her family claimed that she was a victim of gender discrimination when she was left off the Barons’ wrestling team after missing summer practices with an injury.
On Saturday, Vu qualified for the state meet by placing eighth in the 150s at the CIF Southern Section Girls Individual Championships at Eastvale Roosevelt High.
She had pointed remarks for the program that would not take her in after accomplishing the feat.
“(Shout out) to everyone who said I wasn’t talented enough or didn’t have any dedication or passion for the sport. Ya’ll were my motivation,” she said on Twitter.
Vu dropped her second match in the main draw. She battled back with a pair of third-period pins late on Friday, and she scored a pair of reversals to win by decision, 4-0, in her first bout on Saturday.
That qualified her for the medal round, and having already advanced, she pulled out of the remainder of the tournament to rest her shoulder.
The state championship will be held in Visalia in two weeks.
Ocean View gave Vu a new lease on life, and the junior expressed her gratitude.
“It was mainly my parents and everyone at Ocean View,” Vu said of where the credit goes for her big year. “If they just pushed me aside like everyone else did, I probably wouldn’t be in wrestling still.”
Vu had company in the CIF-SS Finals, as Renise Rodriguez qualified for the tournament in the 101s. She went 2-2, earning a pin and a major decision after taking her first loss against top-seeded Marissa Ritchie of Riverside King.
“It was the most amazing feeling in the world to know that I was able to get this far, she was able to get this far, and I had a teammate there with me,” Vu said.
Cheyenne Stooks and Alina Aguirre were in the tournament for Newport Harbor, as was Shawna Jensen for Costa Mesa.
Stooks won two matches by fall, but she was knocked out in the third round of the consolation bracket by Rachel Gutierrez of Lancaster. She was competing in the 111s.
Golden West League Finals: Edsell crowned again
SANTA ANA – The boys of Ocean View High’s wrestling program had their own business to attend to on Saturday.
Only eight dressed for the Seahawks in the Golden West League Finals, but six qualified for CIF on Saturday at Santa Ana High.
All of Ocean View’s qualifiers made championship matches, with Noah Edsell bringing home his second league title.
The junior was heavily favored to win the 120s title, but he received some unexpected opposition in an eventful first period. He held a 5-4 lead over Santa Ana’s Erick Arrellano after the opening frame.
In the second, he ended the drama, securing a pin at the 3:48 mark. Edsell rocked up and down, but he kept Arrellano’s back nailed to the mat with his own.
“It was a little bit loose at first, and then I tightened it up,” Edsell said of his finishing move.
Edsell’s brother, Zach, was a senior on the team last year. He has stayed on as an assistant coach.
“He’s been great in his support,” Noah said of his brother remaining with the program. “He pushes me.”
The Seahawks’ other finalists were KC Tang (138s), William Nguyen (145s), Daniel Serrano (152s), Scott Martel (170s), and Jason Nguyen (182s).
Ocean View’s wrestling participation rate is down, after the school recently had four different head coaches in four years. There are 18 wrestlers in Nolan Johnson’s second year at the helm.
“We don’t have the quantity just yet, but we have quality,” Johnson said. “You can see they’re a team, too. We have six guys that aren’t wrestling that are just here to support the team.
“Every championship team that I’ve ever been a part of, we were all friends. We all came together to support one another. It’s good to see that they’re clicking like this together.”
Championship Matches
106 – Matthew Nguyen (Westminster) pins Jason Mendez (Santa Ana), 1:40.
113 – Jose Mata (Santa Ana) pins Brian Balderas (Westminster), 4:56.
120 – Noah Edsell (Ocean View) pins Erick Arrellano (Santa Ana), 3:48.
126 – Sebastian Villegas (Segerstrom) dec. Anthony Reveles (Santa Ana), 7-5.
132 – Ricardo Solorio (Santa Ana) tech. fall Sergio Sandoval (Segerstrom), 20-5.
138 – Alex Godina (Westminster) inj. def. KC Tang (Ocean View).
145 – Yancy Velasquez (Santa Ana) pins William Nguyen (Ocean View), 1:19.
152 – Ed Bilezekchian (Santa Ana) pins Daniel Serrano (Ocean View), 3:35.
160 – Isidro Zacapala (Santa Ana) dec. Daniel Trujillo (Orange), 4-2.
170 – Baldemar Guzman (Santa Ana) pins Scott Martel (Ocean View), 3:22.
182 – Juan Espinoza (Santa Ana) pins Jason Nguyen (Ocean View), 0:32.
195 – Fernando Ramirez (Santa Ana) pins David Gutierrez (Segerstrom), 2:53.
220 – Joey Daniel (Santa Ana) dec. Aaron Villegas (Westminster), 5-3.
285 – Brandon Jeffers (Loara) dec. Bryan Romero (Santa Ana), 6-1.
Third-Place Matches (Winner advances to CIF)
106 – Noah Rivas (Segerstrom) uncontested.
113 – Benny Estrada (Segerstrom) pins Raxel Ortiz (Ocean View), 2:00.
120 – Dat Bui (Westminster) pins Samuel Yoi (Segerstrom), 3:00.
126 – Joseph Alvarez (Westminster) pins Eduardo Flores (Loara), 5:23.
132 – David Garcia (Westminster) maj. Andrew Lemus (Loara), 13-0.
138 – Javier San Martin (Segerstrom) dec. Ed Vizcaino (Santa Ana), 6-4.
145 – Luis Rizo (Westminster) pins Jorddy Bautista (Orange), 3:47.
152 – Henry Figueroa (Loara) dec. Gabriel Ruiz (Orange), 4-2.
160 – Fernando Serrato (Loara) uncontested.
170 – Steven Bustamante (Orange) uncontested.
182 – No match.
195 – No match.
220 – Emmanuel Mendoza (Segerstrom) pins Junior Fuentes (Ocean View), 3:59.
285 – Kevin Bravo (Segerstrom) uncontested.
Twitter: @ProfessorTurner
