Santa Fe’s Ricardo Rodriguez, 120 pounds, wins the match in the CIF Wrestling Championship at Sultana High School in Hesperia. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)

HESPERIA – A lot has happened in the last week for the Santa Fe High School Wrestling program.

With the post season upon us, first on the agenda was the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 Duals Boys Championship.

An event the boys are very familiar with, the CIF Duals Championship just concluded last Thursday (Feb. 6), as the Chiefs finished as runner-up with a 47-13 loss to host Sultana.

With two appearances in the CIF Duals Championship out of the last four years, a powerhouse program has continued to grow under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Anthony Romero.

No. 3 Seed Santa Fe (21-4) had four winners out of the 14 matches, while top-seeded Sultana highlighted its win with three pins.

The four Santa Fe winners were: Paul Farro, SO (190), 17-15 decision, Vincent Marquez, JR (157), 12-10 decision, Raymond Carbajal, FR (126), 6-5 decision and Ricardo Rodriguez III, SR (120), major decision (16-3).

Santa Fe has appeared in nine duals title matches since 2005, winning in 2005, ’07 and ’09.

However, the Chiefs finished the week as Del Rio League Boys and Girls Champions in the finals on Saturday (Feb. 8) at Whittier High.

Santa Fe finished with six boys champions and 13 girls champions out of the 14 weight classes in varsity and five JV boys champions.

Santa Fe finished with 197 varsity points, while La Serna had 178.

After the DRL finals, 13 boys and 13 girls(1 alternate) have qualified for the CIF-SS Individuals beginning Friday (Feb. 14). The boys will compete in the Inland Division to be held at Great Oak HS and the girls will compete in the Southern Division at Marina HS.

The six Del Rio League boys champs were: Rodriguez (120), Won by Tech Fall (20-2), Michael Hernandez (138), Won by Fall (1:14), Josiah Castillo (150), Won by Fall (3:17), Marquez (157), Won by Major Decision (10-1), Fernando Toscano (215), Won by Fall (1:48) and Matthew Muniz (285), Won by Fall (0:51).

The 13 girls champs were: Eva Salas (100), Won by Fall (0:37), Ana Aparicio (105), Bye, Isabella Ochoa (110), Won by Fall (3:25), Samantha Sanchez (115), Won by Fall (1:52), Alexis Enriquez (120), Bye, Leia Saathoff (125), Won by Fall (4:25), Melanie Rodriguez (130), Won by Fall (2:14), Kailynn Santa Maria (135), Won by Fall (0:23), Hazel Gameros (140), Won by Fall (1:34), Marisela Morales (145), Won by Fall (0:33), Maria Dominguez (155), Won by Fall (1:15), Jennifer Lopez Anceno (190), Won by Decision (11-4) and Jaeleen McLellan (235), Bye.

“This program is always going to be alumni ran,” said fourth-year coach and wrestling alumnus Anthony Romero. “I know what it means to be great. It’s just the Santa Fe culture that I grew up with and you got to go out there and give 100 percent.

“I really appreciate the guys that went out there and still finished the dual itself.”

Romero was especially referring to senior Ricardo Rodriguez III right after Sultana had officially clinched the title with the 38-6 lead, with only four matches remaining.

Assisting Romero is Jonathan Santa Maria and Tyler Manalo.

Rodriguez, who wrestles at 120 and was sixth in CIF last year along with a Masters Qualifier, put up the biggest numbers of the night for the Chiefs with a 16-3 Major Decision over Sultana sophomore Thomas Tapia.

“Although the points were very high, it’s just about going out there and wrestle your heart out no matter what,” Rodriguez said. “Although we were losing by a lot, you just have to go out there and show them who you really are.”

Leading 7-0 after the second period, Rodriguez poured it on with three takedowns for nine more points in the third period, to trail, 38-10.

The three other Santa Fe winners were three-point decisions by freshman Raymond Carbajal (126), junior Vincent Marquez (157) and sophomore Paul Farro (190).

Trailing in the first two matches, 7-0, the first points of the night for the Chiefs was a decision by Marquez (157) over senior Jonathan Gomez.

After trailing 8-6 heading into the final period, two technical 3 takedowns aided in the 12-10 win for Marquez.

“I wrestle tough and I heard my coach say, ‘a takedown wins the match’,” Marquez said. “Being in the finals sets an example of what we can do.”

One of the more exciting matches of the evening was Farro’s 17-15 decision over Aaron Esparza.

Farro (190) took a 9-1 lead in the first period with two takedowns and a 3-point near fall.

The period ended with Farro lifting Esparza up in the air and slamming him to the mat and the sophomore Sultan appeared to be stunned, but he got up after a few minutes and continued.

Farro added another takedown and a 3-point near fall in the second period for a commanding, 15-3 advantage.

However, Esparza came roaring back with 10 consecutive points to trail, 15-13. But they traded two-point reversals and Farro held on for the exciting victory.

“It (the match) was a dog fight to see who wanted it more,” Farro said. “In the third period when I got a reversal, I proved that I wanted it more and left everything I had on the mat.” points of the match with the lowest-scoring final of the match.

Carbajal (126), in the 12th match of the night, scored the final points for the Chiefs as he won by decision, 6-5.

After he took a 6-0 lead in the first period on a takedown and a near fall 3, he held on for the win in the third period.

“It (CIF Duals Championship) brings a lot to all the new wrestlers coming in and get to see us come in and do this, regardless if we win or not, we’re in the finals and we wrestled our way here,” Carbajal said. “It’s a big memory for all of us.

In his close win Carbajal said, “I’m really stingy with my points and I ride with them to the end. I knew I had the 6-0 lead in the first period and I worked after that. He almost got out near the end, but I held on to his leg as time expired.”

CIF Boys Basketball CIF 1st Rd results

Downey (19-10) defeated host JW North of Riverside, 44-42, in a first-round game in CIF D3A Wednesday (Feb. 12). Downey held an eight-point halftime lead, 22-14, and after three quarters, the Vikings extended their lead to 12 points, 32-20.

Downey held on in the fourth quarter, as JW North outscored the Vikings, 22-12, only to fall by a bucket.

The Vikings move on to the second round and will host Quartz Hill (20-8), a 70-60 winner over Temescal Canyon, Friday (Feb. 14) night. Game time is 7:00 pm.

St. Pius X-St Matthias Academy (PMA) defeated visiting Bishop Alemany, 61-56, in a CIFSS DI game Wednesday to advance to the second round against Mira Costa (26-3), a 70-58 winner over Leuzinger.

Warren (16-10) traveled to Hesperia for a first-round game in division 3AA. (Results not available at press time).

CIF Girls Basketball schedule

Thursday Feb. 13, 1st Rd

Warren (13-7) home versus California Academy of Math & Science (8-8), D4A.

Downey (14-14) at Arcadia (12-7), 3AA.

PMA (20-8) at Hillcrest Christian (7-4), D5AA.

Santa Fe (20-5) at Godinez Fundamental (14-12), D3AA.

(All results not available at press time).

CIF Girls Water Polo – Quarterfinals

Downey (17-5) had a first-round bye, defeated Edison, 12-7, in the second round and beat Woodbridge, 8-7, in the CIF-SS D2 quarterfinals Wednesday (Feb. 12).

The Vikings will host El Toro (22-8), a 15-12 winner over Buena, Tuesday (Feb. 18) in the semifinals.

Warren defeated Cabrillo, 14-2, in a D5 first-round game but lost in the second round to Fullerton, 4-3, to end its season. The Bears finished with a 10-8 record.

Santa Fe wrestling sweeps boys, girls Del Rio League Finals