Dec. 11, 2006- Pondo sweeps Duals for 8th straight time
By Jerry Heinzer, Democrat staff writer


DUAL DUEL — Ponderosa’s Justin Danz, top, gets set to pin his opponent in Friday’s finals of the Ponderosa Duals wrestling tournament.
Democrat photo by Dan Burkhart

SHINGLE SPRINGS - Dropping just nine bouts overall out of five matches Friday, host Ponderosa High rolled through its annual Ponderosa Duals wrestling tournament to take first place. The Bruins, whose winning margin during the event was 54 points, crushed Granada 58-6 in the finals. Ponderosa was paced by 11 all-tournament selections, led by freshman Jesse Routsong's perfect five-pin day and senior Justin Danz with four pins and a technical decision.

“The team wrestled very well - awesome. Five matches, five dominating scores - a great warmup for the season,” said co-head coach Soren Murphey who runs the team with Tyson Escobar. “This speaks to the dedication of the program where we have kids waiting in the wings to take spots. We graduated six and six others step in. The tradition carries on itself.”

The Bruins may end up wrestling each other in the “Duals” if teams keep melting away, unwilling to be beat up on the Bruins' mat. Buchanan was initially scheduled but didn't make it and the two-year old highly anticipated early dual with Vacaville has been scratched. But the Reno Tournament of Champions Dec. 21-22 makes up for it all.

“Reno is one of the top tournaments in the nation - this (Pondo Duals) is not at all comparable. We've had good teams show up in the past. It seems teams just don't want to come here. Maybe it's the time of the year with other tournaments going on but the most important thing is mat time and to get some matches in,” said Justin Danz, who bumped up a weight class to 171s this season. “I have to get used to wrestling the bigger guys. Today I just came out and wrestled.”

Danz' goals are a state title and to do well at the Nationals High School Meet in March. Friday Danz posted early pins in his first three bouts, teched his semifinal opponent with time to spare in the opening period before turning a 14-0 third period lead into his fourth and final pin against Granada.

After a first-round bye, the Bruins throttled Rocklin 67-6 to open pool play behind pins from Routsong (103 pounds), Justin Durham (130), Lyndell Scarr (152), Brad Pace (160), Danz, Billy Wilson (215) and Jeff Routsong (275). Jordan Haley (145) posted a 17-0 win, Travis Brown (119) won 13-0 and Jace Miller (140) walked away an 11-1 winner. Of the 59 bouts Ponderosa actually wrestled, the Bruins registered 27 pins, six technicals and seven major decisions.

Vallejo was next up and fell 65-10 to the Bruins. Ponderosa recorded pins from Kyle Meniketti (103), Brown, Danz and Dominic DeMarco (189), tech wins by Durham, Miller, and Nick Gill (160), and two majors: Ryan Meniketti's (125) 12-0 victory and Joey DePalma's (145) 14-4 win.

In the gold bracket quarterfinals of the 11-team field, the Bruins blasted Will C. Wood 66-9. Jesse moved up a class for his third pin and Brown, Ryan and Durham followed in succession. After Josh Adam's (135) 9-2 decision, Miller, Scarr, Pace and Danz pinned their opponents in Ponderosa's third blowout.

“I feel excellent,” said Pace whose injury-plagued sophomore season put him on the sidelines last year. “I just set my mind that I would go out and beat everyone (today) and that's what I did.”

Against Demonte Ranch in the semis, the Bruins benefited from three forfeits in the middle weights and four overall in a 62-13 victory. Jesse, Ryan, Haley, Scarr and Pace all tilted their opponent's shoulders to the mat for the count. In the finals, Jesse, Brown and Scarr pocketed pins in addition to Danz, Durham and Pace scored techs, Adams and Wilson majors, Miller and Haley shutouts and freshman Tanner Bell (112) picked up his first win.

Oakmont took third place with its win over Damonte Ranch.

Bruin all-tournament picks included Jesse, Kyle, Brown (5-0, three pins), Ryan (5-0, two pins), Durham (5-0, two pins, two techs), Adams (5-0), Miller (5-0), Haley (4-0), Pace (4-0, three pins, tech), Danz and DeMarco (4-0).

Danz, Durham, Haley, Adams, Brown, Wilson and Jeff Routsong are seniors. Ponderosa's team goals include winning another Sierra Valley Conference title, the team section meet, the division and Masters meets.

“You can't win sections (Masters) every year but that's our goal. It's not an easy road,” said Murphey who thinks Oak Ridge will be the SVC's main threat.

Aside from Reno, the Bruins are competing in Honolulu (Iolani Invitational), Clovis (Doc Buchanan), Fountain Valley (Five Counties), Escalon (Loyd C Engal), Sacramento (Advocare Foothill Invitational) and Sheldon (Sheldon Invitational). Ponderosa's first SVC home dual meet is Jan. 10 against Cordova.