LJ wrestling: Girls: Tora 1st at 133 pounds; Boys: Long 2nd at 154

Tora Tranheim of La Jolla High (top, with braids)

pinned each of her three opponents,

here Corrin Duryee-Grattan of Canyon Hills

in one minute, 22 seconds, on the way to

winning the 133-pound title at City Conference.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Viking senior Tora Tranheim (133 pounds) swept her way to first place in her weight class by pinning all three of her opponents, the second in a brief 47 seconds, at the Willie Jones Jr. Memorial Tournament at Lincoln High Sat., Jan. 28.

On the boys' side, in a prestigious tournament with a long history, fellow senior Charlie Long (154) helped lead the way for the Viking wrestling team by garnering a second place.

Seniors Gus Rinaldi (162) and Caden Kestler (147) each fought their ways to third place in their respective weight divisions. So did Matisse Pickett (113) in the girls' competition.

The tourney, formerly known as the City Conference event, comes right after the league dual meet season is over, and postseason competition begins. In two weeks, the La Jolla wrestlers and their male and female teammates will go into CIF when things really begin to pick up with intensity.

The Vikings filled 12 of the 14 weight divisions in the male portion of the tournament, showing how COVID has receded and their team has battled back to a full complement of wrestlers--something many other school teams have not been able to achieve yet.

Long, whose younger brother Jack also competes, continued his roll this season with three straight pins, of 51 seconds, then 3:31 total time for the next (late in the second period, with two-minute rounds), and 1:55--the last just before time ran out in the first period.

Viking Charlie Long (red singlet, top)

pins Joshua McClain of Morse in 3:31

on his way to the 154-pound title

at the Willie Jones Jr. Tournament.