The rebuilding of Mira Costa’s wrestling program peaked Saturday at Redondo Union High School when the top-seeded Mustang’s dominated their opponents to win the CIF-Southern Section Southern Division Dual Meet Championship.
“We felt confident we could win the title,” Mira Costa head coach Jimmy Chaney said. “Our higher finish than [second seeded] Shadow Hills at the Rosemead Tournament proved we could be the best in our division.”
Earning a first-round bye, Mira Costa didn’t wrestle until the semifinals after its second-round opponent, La Puente, left the tournament, giving the Mustangs a win by forfeit.
Mira Costa routed fourth-seeded Faith Baptist 65-18 setting up a showdown with Shadow Hills. Mira Costa placed sixth in the 50-team West Coast Classic tournament held at Rosemead earlier this season while Shadow Hills finished 19th.
Cale Lewis (126), Michael Cervantes (132), Jason Guerrero (145), Jean Paul LeBosnayani (160), Miles Gilliam (170) Niilo Niemi (192 pounds) and Jimmy Millea (heavyweight) recorded pins in the final.
Luca Mangiarano (120), Alex Chaney (138) and Jamal Williams (182) posted decision victories helping Mira Costa score a 58-15 win and its first CIF title since 1971.
Chaney has built the Mira Costa wrestling program into a powerhouse after the team finished second to West Torrance in the Bay League and a top-eight finish in CIF last season. He credits the Physical Education Department at Mira Costa for allowing him to introduce wrestling to freshmen each year.
Chaney, who wrestled at Middle Tennessee State University and Tennessee Tech University in the early 1990s, led Mira Costa to a second-place finish in the CIF Duals in 1994 and in 1995, the Mustangs finished third in the CIF Individuals.
Chaney put his coaching career on hiatus because of time restraints after having children. He returned to Mira Costa as an assistant coach two years ago to help Coach Quinn Ryan build up a stronger program.
“We were able to build a strong freshmen team together,” Chaney said. “He (Ryan) moved to Michigan, so I became the head coach again. All I’ve done is continued with the same plan that Quinn and I put together – Build a strong freshmen team every year and soon you will have a solid team with lots of depth.”
Mira Costa will compete in the Bay League Finals at Beverly Hills High School on Thursday with the top three finishers qualifying for the CIF Individual Championships to be held at Marina High School Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21.
The top five wrestlers from each weight class will advance to the CIF Southern Section-Ford Masters Meet to be held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28 at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena in Ontario. The nine top finishers qualify for the State Championship Meet presented by Farmers Insurance on Friday and Saturday, Mar. 6-7 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
“I believe Gilliam and Millea have the best chances win a CIF title,” Chaney said. “But everyone else on the roster has the potential to place in CIF. Our team has that much depth this year.”
