Calvary Chapel Has 6 Advance to Semifinals

Twenty-six area wrestlers have qualified for today’s semifinal round in 13 of 14 weight classes at the Southern Section Division I individual wrestling championships.

After Friday’s competition, which included three championship rounds and one consolation round at Fontana A.B. Miller High, the 140-pound division was the only one without a county wrestler. The semifinals begin at 11:30 a.m. today.

Calvary Chapel had six qualifiers, the most by any county school. El Modena is next with five. Villa Park and Brethren Christian qualified four, Foothill had three, and Brea Olinda had two. Santa Ana Valley and Valencia had one each.

Brethren Christian wrestler Joe Garcia, who reached the 125-pound semifinals, had a controversial finish to his quarterfinal match against Rosemead’s Mike Gomes. Garcia was leading, 6-5, when Gomes appeared to get a two-point takedown as time ran out in the third period.

After consulting with the timekeeper, the officials ruled that time had expired before the takedown, and Garcia was declared the winner.

Magnolia, Western, Canyon, Orange Lutheran, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Orange did not have a wrestler reach the semifinal round.

Temecula Valley, which defeated Calvary Chapel for the team championship last week, qualified eight wrestlers, the most by any school.

Temecula Valley also leads the team score with 100.5 points. El Modena is third with 80 points, and Calvary Chapel was fourth with 76.5.

The top six finishers in each division will qualify for the section Masters meet next week at Fountain Valley. The top eight finishers there will qualify for the state championship meet in Stockton March 4-5.