With its sights set on winning its third CIF title in four years, Mira Costa’s boys wrestling team is off to an impressive start this season.
The defending CIF-SS Southern Division champions placed fourth at the 37th Annual Andrew Pena Classic in Irvine last Saturday following a first-place performance at the West Torrance Warrior Invitational a seventh-place finish among 24 teams at the South Torrance Spartan Kickoff.
“We have had a great start this year,” Mira Costa head coach Jimmy Chaney said. “We should be ranked in the top three of the CIF Duals. Our goal is to win CIF again, but it may be tougher this year, because Irvine and Valencia have great teams returning but I still believe if we work hard we can do it.”
Junior Tyler Gordon has stepped up to become a leader for the Mustangs. He won the 138-pound weight class at the Andrew Pena Classic where he was named Lower Weight MVP.
Also medaling in the tournament were Jamie Krigsman (195), who placed second, and third-place finishers Will Curtis (145), Hanul Kim (170), Joseph Smith (182) and Bobby Millea (195).
“Tyler Gordon has been a great inspiration to the team. He is currently ranked 38th in state as is getting better as the weeks go by,” Chaney said. “Tyler’s twin brother Jacob, a returning CIF placer, is currently out of the line up but will be joining us soon. A special acknowledgement needs to go to Hanul Kim for defeating 29th ranked in state D’Marco Rabon of Paramount 6-4.”
At the West Torrance Varsity Tournament Curtis won the 145-pound division and was the Outstanding Lower Weight wrestler.
Also helping Mira Costa capture the title by winning their respective weight classes were Alde Nguyen (113), Gordon (138), Kim (170), Smith (184) and Jamie Krigsman (195).
Placing second were Greg Sevaston (145), Ryan Kumpis (160), Millea (195) and Pablo Iturrios (220). Third-place finishes went to Mitchell Halverson (120) and Andrew Chaney (138).
Another top senior in the lineup is Daniel Beneflah who took 3rd place at the South Torrance Spartan Kickoff. Curtis placed second, while Gordon, Kim and Sevaston earned third-place finishes.
“I felt we did really good when you consider that we had kids still in football, cross country and water polo,” Chaney said. “The fact that our Fall sports did so well this year is really amazing. But, I do look forward to adding those kids into our line up.”
Mira Costa’s boys varsity squad will compete at the Tournament of Champions Friday and Saturday, Dec. 29-30 at Cerritos College.
Although Chaney is happy with his varsity team’s performance, he is extremely excited about the future of Mira Costa’s wrestling program.
Mustang freshmen dominated the West Novice Tournament with five champions and the Peninsula Freshmen tournament with 10 placers.
“This looks to be the best freshmen class I’ve seen,” Chaney exclaimed. “We’ve had 12 different freshmen place in tournaments already and one at the varsity level. Andrew Chaney took third place at the West Varsity tournament and has a 3-1 record, with a 4-0 record at JV. He is on par for being the best freshman I’ve ever coached.
“We also have Owen Buckley with a record of 9-0 and Wiley Cubic with a record of 8-0 all by pins. And that is just the beginning. Other kids to watch out for are Carter Buckley, Steele Gable, James Hennessey, Quinn Raper-Mateo, Anthony Saliba, Kyle Sokol, Owne Totzke, Max Wippich, Hunter Jeppson and Zane Thormodsgaard, Combined these 10 wrestlers have won 39 matches and lost only 11.”
Sophomores are led by Greg Sevaston (145) who took 3rd place at the South Varsity Tournament and 2nd Place at the West Torrance Varsity Tournament along with Alde Nguyen who won the West Torrance varsity tournament at the 113 lb weight class. Other sophomores are Taro Iyadomi, who transfered to Mira Costa from Japan, Nick Stizzi, Reid Inskeep, Ishmael Harati, Carlton St. Bernard III and Braden Davis.
Like the boys teams, Mira Costa’s girls team is off to a fast start while the program continues to grow.
The Mustang are led by Sasha Medvidovic, the only senior on the team who has finished 3rd in the CIF State tournament as a sophomore and junior.
The team tied combined team of Lawndale/Torrance 42-42 but won by criteria the dominated West 46-24.
Other top wrestlers are juniors Allysa Nocum and Viviana Ramirez aloong with sophomores Orqueda Ordonez, Cali Sheldon and Fiona Thomas.
“We also have a great freshmen team,’ Chaney said. “Already, Stevie Clarke and Jessica Patton have won varsity matches, though they only started wrestling in September. I would expect to see similar results from three or four other freshmen in the near future.”
Mira Costa’s girls and boys frosh/soph team will compete at the Tournament of Champions at Cerritos College on Saturday, Dec. 16.
