By Pablo DiMaria
GoldenStateWrestling.com
BELLFLOWER – In a tightly contested dual that came down to the heavyweight match, senior Ayden Matheney pinned Joseph Holani to give the Friars a 41-32 win over the Braves Tuesday night to claim the 2019 Trinity League championship. With the win, the Friars wrap up the dual meet season at 6-2.
Servite’s lightweights sparked the Friars as they won five of the first seven contested bouts to take a 23-12 lead. After a forfeit at 106, senior Andrew Silva opened the dual with a fall in 1:03 over Andrew Morales at 113. Silva took Morales down after the opening whistle and never let up as he worked tough on top to get the fall.
Freshman Marcus Medina took advantage that Cal Poly commit Antonio Lorenzo bumped up a weight class and got the fall over Andrew Fierro at 120. Lorenzo tied the match at 12 apiece as he was able to turn Marcos Magana in the second period and pin the senior with 58 seconds left on the period at 126.
The Friars started their run when Five Counties finalist Josh Medina earned a hard-fought 3-2 win over Walsh Jesuit Ironman place winner Isaac Salas to give Servite a 15-12 lead after five matches. Servite kept the momentum going as Fargo All-American Teddy Okada earned a 17-5 major decision over Ironman place winner Timothy Levine at 138. Another major decision at 145 by Daniel Magana helped the Friars take a 23-12 after seven matches.
Bosco picked up a vital win when nationally ranked wrestler Cael Valencia got the major decision over sophomore Tyler Okada 9-1 at 152. Okada gave up an early takedown off a failed throw attempt. Valencia was strong on top, riding Okada and earning near fall points in the second period. The third period, Okada was turned to his back but was successful in not getting pin by Valencia.
Junior Valor Buck made his return to the lineup at 160 after being out this weekend due to the flu. He made quick work of his opponent as he pinned Efrain Rodriguez in 51 seconds.
Bosco answered with three straight wins to make the dual-meet closer as Louie Rojas pin Neal Carter in 2:39 at 170, Mikey Beltran earned the 11-2 major decision at 182, and Nathan Haas pin his opponent at 195 to take the lead 32-29.
Tristen Wilson got a forfeit at 220 as Servite once again took the lead 35-32 with a match left.
Matheney used his wrestling skills to takedown Holani three times in the match before he took him down for the fourth and final time straight to his back and earned the fall with a second remaining in the match. The Servite faithful explode in joy as their team had defeated the No.3 team in California in a rainy southern California night.
Servite will now shift focus to the 2019 CIT Morro Bay Invitational, January 18-19 at Morro Bay High School.
Servite wins Trinity League as Ayden Matheney (HWT) gets the pin to clinch it!!! #credo #FightnFriars pic.twitter.com/3cAIAVZCGj
— Servite Wrestling (@FriarsWrestling) January 16, 2019
