By Lilian Nguyen
On Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 18th, Fountain Valley High School (FVHS)’s varsity wrestling team beat the Los Alamitos Griffins 58-18 for their Senior Night match. After honoring their seniors, the team would go on to have a series of spectacular matches.
Seniors TJ Mcdonnell (182 lbs), Caine Elroy (220 lbs), Junior Ryland Whitworth (195 lbs), sophomore Khale Mcdonnell (170lbs) and freshman Rocky Windrath (195) lbs were uncontested as Los Alamitos High School did not have wrestlers in their respective weight classes.
Key players included freshmen Hunter Jauregui (106 lbs), Liam Qureshi (113 lbs), juniors Hercules Windrath (152 lbs), Anthony Lucio (126 lbs), Gavin Yeager (170 lbs), seniors Nico Naranjo (152 lbs), Dylan Bunbury (285 lbs) and Isaiah Burney (145 lbs).
Jauregui, wrestling at 106 lbs won with an impressive pin, earning him the immediate win. Qureshi, against his opponent, displayed a strong offense, coordinating his win with a series of takedowns and near falls, ending the match with a score of 16-4.
Hercules Windrath at 152 lbs, Anthony Lucio at 126 lbs and Gavin Yeager at 170 lbs all displayed magnificent pins against their opponents in the second period of their matches, giving them the win.
For the seniors, Nico Naranjo exhibited strong defenses, winning by a narrow margin of 2-1 with a last-minute escape, securing him the win. Dylan Banbury won against his opponent with a quick pin in the early minutes of the match.
One of the most intense matches during the dual meet, however, would be senior Isaiah Burney’s. Wrestling at 145 lbs against his opponent, he displayed a relentless spirit. Losing by a deficit in the first and second periods, Burney managed to turn the tides around in his favor with a series of coordinated moves, inching him closer to his opponent’s score.
“Our coaches have trained us to be level-headed in all situations. I knew I needed to wait for my opportunities and take them when given,” Burney said.
By the last period with a score of 6-7 in favor of his opponent, Burney with a marvelous takedown, earned the two points needed for a victory in the last remaining seconds. Burney would win the match with a final score of 8-7.
“I [want] to thank my teammates and the crowd for pushing me to secure the win. The atmosphere was truly special. [It’s] guaranteed I’ll never forget my time at Fountain Valley,” Burney said.
The match concluded with a bittersweet ending as this would be the senior’s last dual match at home.
FVHS’s wrestling team will participate in the individuals California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS) starting Feb. 10th and Feb. 11th.
