WRESTLING; LITTLEROCK'S BRIGGS WORKS ON PERFECTION.

Byline: Gerry Gittleson Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Wrestling opponents are still trying to get a grip on Jared Briggs of Littlerock High. The 119-pounder is undefeated at 22-0 with 17 pins after winning all 10 of his matches at Highland High of Palmdale's Bobby Loughridge Invitational tournament last weekend.

Briggs, the region's only wrestler with a perfect record, has three Golden League matches remaining - and probably three league playoff matches - before the Southern Section Division IV team tournament. He'll probably be 28-0 by then.

Briggs could have had 10 more victories by now, but missed the recent Rebel Classic at Quartz Hill High, opting to attend his brother's wedding. Jason Howell of Highland won at 119 at the Rebel Classic, and Briggs has beaten Howell four consecutive times dating back to last season.

Briggs is less concerned about his winning streak than he is about making an impact in the postseason. He lost in the first round of the section playoffs last year.

``Losing at CIF last year was a good learning experience for me,'' Briggs said. ``I have a great appreciation now for better competition.''

--Little big man: Mike Estrada, Highland's dynamic 103-pounder, was sensational at the Loughridge tournament, going 10-0 to help the Bulldogs to second place. In the final against champion Yucca Valley, Estrada pinned Raul Lopez in seven seconds, tying the school record for fastest pin.

Estrada, 36-3 on the season, won 47 matches last year, more than any returner among local Southern Section and City competitors.

Among Estrada's victories at the Loughridge tournament were triumphs over Golden League rivals Travis Westberg of Antelope Valley (3-2) and Charlie Aguirre of Palmdale (11-5).

--Getting even: Thousand Oaks went 5-5 at the Loughridge tournament, finishing in a tie for fourth. Not bad considering the Lancers were without injured 125-pounder Yi Bing Chen, and one of their top wrestlers, Danny Weiderkehr, was battling flu.

Three Lancers placed second overall - 112-pounder Mark Schmidt, 145- pounder Jason Park and 152-pounder William Velasquez. All went 9-1.

``I think we did OK considering we were a little injured and a little sick,'' coach Manny Valdez said.

Weiderkehr finished 6-4, but one of his victories was a decision over Highland's Jon King, one of the region's top 160-pounders.

--ECR goes far: El Camino Real, three-time defending City champion but always in the shadow of more respected Southern Section teams, was missing several key returners but still finished in third place with an 8-2 dual record.

Defending City titlist Edward Lemus (125 pounds) was 10-0 with seven pins to win his weight division. Lemus is 28-1 with 20 pins this season, 68-7 over the last two years.

A big surprise for the Conquistadores was Andriek De Leon, who won the 171-pound division with a 10-0 mark, including seven pins. A junior varsity wrestler last season, he's emerging in a big way this year with a 17-4 record. He probably would have more victories but missed an earlier tournament because he was on vacation with his family.

El Camino Real lost by eight points to eventual champion Yucca Valley and by 21 points to runner-up Highland.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) William Velasquez of Thousand Oaks is pushed in the nose by Alemany's Angel Mendoza.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) Rancho Verde's Ray Romero, front, escapes from Littlerock's Jared Briggs in the 119-pound match. Briggs went on to win.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Monroe's James Boxton pushes Thousand Oaks' John Keirans, bottom, to the mat in the Bobby Loughridge tournament.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer