DIV. 5: ROYAL WRESTLERS CLAIM CROWN HIGHLAND BEATEN IN SEMIFINALS.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer FONTANA - About 60 Royal High of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. wrestling fans were stamping their feet, chanting, ``AN-DREW!'' in the last, decisive match of Saturday's Southern Section Div. V dual-meet wrestling championship at Kaiser High. To hear Andrew Mihalo tell it, without the energy he drew from supporters, he wouldn't have had it in him to score the title-winning pin that completed one of the most dramatic comebacks in section wrestling history. Mihalo pinned Granite Hills of Apple Valley's Joey Joey after Joseph Grimaldi, famous 19th-century clown. [Am. Hist.: Espy, 45] See : Clowns Ragone in a 144-pound match in 4 minutes, 54 seconds, to clinch Clinch, river, c.300 mi (480 km) long, formed by the junction of two forks in SW Va., and flowing generally SW across E Tenn. to the Tennessee River at Kingston. the Highlanders' 34-28 victory and the first wrestling title in the school's 38-year history. Royal trailed 28-13 heading into the last three matches. ``It was insane INSANE. One deprived of the use of reason, after he has arrived at the age when he ought to have it, either by a natural defect or by accident. Domat, Lois Civ. Lib. prel. tit. 2, s. 1, n. 11. ,'' Mihalo said. ``I was so pumped up. That was the best thing ever. I probably couldn't have kept going, because I was dead at the end. That was my inspiration right there.'' A dramatic shift in the momentum started with Ben Sardoni (134) pinning Kyle Holman in 53 seconds. ``(Royal) coach (Paul Mole) just said we needed two pins and a win, and I didn't want to leave it all on Andrew,'' Sardoni said. Shaun Jones (139) followed by pinning Josh White in 38 seconds to tie the score. ``That gave me so much momentum,'' Mihalo said. ``We were so far behind, I couldn't believe it.'' ``Amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. ,'' Mole said. ``I've never seen anything like this in any match.'' Mihalo struggled early in his match, falling behind 2-0 on a first-period takedown Takedown 1. The price at which underwriters obtain securities to be offered to the public. 2. The portion of securities that each investment banker will distribute in a secondary or initial pubic offering. Notes: 1. . Mihalo seemed to be in a fight for survival, as Ragone nearly recorded another takedown early in the second period after pulling Mihalo's right leg into his midsection mid·sec·tion n. A middle section, especially the midriff of the body. . Mihalo pushed back, taking a 5-2 lead on an escape, a takedown, and a near-fall. Eric Blackwell, a state-meet qualifier qual·i·fi·er n. 1. One that qualifies, especially one that has or fulfills all appropriate qualifications, as for a position, office, or task. 2. last year, pinned his Dan Montooth in one minute in the second bout to give Royal a 6-3 lead, but Granite Hills won six of the next seven matches for a 24-9 advantage. Royal last season was bounced in the quarterfinals after going 16-1 in the regular season. ``We have nine seniors, and we all wanted it, but Andrew had all the pressure on him,'' Sardoni said. Granite Hills, which defeated two-time Div. VI champion Highland 42-15 in the semifinals, was making its first Southern Section championship appearance in any sport in the school's six-year history. ``We wrestled well, but we just hit a wall,'' Highland coach Michael Young said. ``They were the better team.'' Gideon Rubin (818)713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com |
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