LJ wrestling 69, Hoover 12

Jax Espinosa got the ball rolling for the Vikings

with a pin, worth six points.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Community.

That's how one observer viewed the 20 or 30 black-and-white-clad La Jolla wrestlers, lined along the northern wall of Hoover High's auxiliary gym Wed., Jan. 4, comfortably viewing the on-mat competition, chomping on a sandwich or their first snack since before the day's weigh-in--communing.

The Vikings, a good program to be in, with the numbers and enthusiasm booming, smoked the poor Cardinals, 69-12. No one rubbed it in, though, like the one Hoover wrestler (who won't be named) who took off his headgear and did a little dance--which his coach immediately castigated him for. (He left the gym upset, only to return later much more humbled after the dual meet was finished.)

Head coach Kellen Delaney was obviously pleased at his program's progress. He was totally focused on his wrestlers' mindset, aggressiveness, and readiness for each bout. Only seven varsity wrestlers for Hoover were ready to take the mat, so that accounted for a lot of the points La Jolla piled up in the lopsided victory.

Gustav Rinaldi follows with another fall,

as a pin is technically called, for a 24-6 lead.

After the official meet, Vikings Caden Kestler and Charlie Long tussled in a friendly bout. There were a couple of other matches, as well, all exhibition, some consisting of a Hoover-LJ matchup, others between two Vikings. Long piled up a ton of points, but Koestler, always game, a football player as well, stayed in the bout. It finally ended up with a Long pin after Caden was pretty fatigued after two and a half periods.

Matisse Pickett faced Nerva Mugisha in another intra-team exhibition bout.

Nearby, down the row of the bevy of LJHS wrestlers, Walter Fairley Jr., the "godfather" of Viking wrestling, chatted with Ryan Lennard and caught up on the events of the meet, which he arrived at the end of.

Delaney sent out a message later in the week about a "Frosh/Soph Tournament" at Clairemont High Sat., Jan. 7. "This is a great opportunity for our freshman and sophomore wrestlers to get some mat time and I strongly encourage everyone's attendance," he said in an email to families Jan. 5.

The Clairemont competition is a reschedule from a previous date that La Jolla wrestlers would not have been able to participate in.

Hayden Worst (standing) is going to record

another pin as La Jolla marches to victory.