The Paloma Valley High boys wrestlers celebrate a CIF championship. (Photo by Martinez Productions)
Paloma Valley High School won the first-ever CIF Southern Section team championship in boys sports Saturday when the boys wrestling team dominated the competition at the CIF-SS Eastern Division championships.
The Wildcats finished the event at Canyon Springs High School with 260 points, far outdistancing second-place Canyon Springs (206). Two wrestlers won individual titles for Paloma Valley, which has built a very successful program under coach Luis Robles.
Under Robles, the boys team was runner-up four consecutive times, then fifth last year. The girls team, which placed fifth in the Southern Division championships on Saturday, has won four CIF-SS titles.
“We finally won a title,” said Robles, who split time this weekend between Canyon Springs and Marina High in Huntington Beach, where the girls were competing. “It’s been crazy, working with the boys and girls at the same time. Thanks to all our coaches for making it happen.
“We told them to come in with the mindset that if you’ve qualified to be here, you’re worthy. They really came through for us.”
The boys team qualified nine wrestlers for the CIF Masters meet, which will take place Friday at Sonora High School in La Habra. Leading the way will be Anthony Saldana (132 pounds) and Izaac Esparza (175), who won individual titles.
Robles was also impressed with 190-pounder Lennon Tinahui, a transfer from Santa Rosa Academy who scored a huge upset in the semifinals and finished second overall.
“He had to sit out the first half of the school year after transferring,” Robles said. “He wrestled OK all year. He finished second in league. But this was the best day he’s had.”
Tinahui’s highlight was battling back to defeat Victor Valley’s second-seeded John Venegas in the semifinals. Tinahui, seeded sixth, was trailing his opponent 13-0. Two more points and Venegas would’ve scored the victory. But Tinahui pinned Venegas at the 4:52 mark, advancing to the finals.
“That was the big upset story,” Robles said. “Winning in the semis, that’s big points for us.”
Tinahui lost to Walnut’s top-seeded Brady Williams in the finals to finish second.
At 132 pounds, top-seeded Saldana defeated Jacob Lopez of Pacific for the championship. At 175, top-seeded Esparza beat Gavin Vargas of Canyon Springs.
The complete list of boys qualifiers from Paloma Valley:
106 – William Leyva, 5th
120 – Anthony Martinez, 3rd
126 – Uriel Cruz, 2nd
132 – Anthony Saldana, 1st
150 – Brandon Owen, 2nd
157 – Travis Ledesma, 3rd
175 – Izaac Esparza, 1st
190 – Lennon Tinahui, 2nd
215 – Nathaniel Flores, 3rd
The lone winner for the Wildcat girls team in the Southern Division was 100-pound freshman Reynalin Geronimo, who beat Alyssa Esparza of University in the semifinals, then defeated top-seeded Abigail Marquez of Marina in the finals.
The girls team is sending seven wrestlers to the girls Masters Meet, which will take place on Saturday at Sonora High.
The complete list of girls qualifiers:
100 – Reynalyn Geronimo, 1st
125 – Gianna Mottola, 4th
130 – Bryleigh Delis, 2nd
140 – Jiana Rivera, 4th
145 – Melissa Moreno, 5th
190 – Lynda Guerra, 2nd
235 — Alexis Streeter, 7th
Anthony Saldana celebrates a CIF championship at 132 pounds. (Photo by Martinez Productions)
Anthony Martinez placed third at 120. (Photo by Martinez Productions)
Will Leyva placed fifth at 106. (Photo by Martinez Productions)
Brandon Owen placed second at 150. (Photo by Martinez Productions)
