Beaudette one match away

TEMECULA — Newport Harbor High senior wrestler Bradley Beaudette is a win away from a spot in the CIF State Championship Meet, after the first day of action at the CIF Masters Meet at Temecula Valley High.

Beaudette, wrestling in the 189-pound class, went 1-1 on Friday. Newport Harbor Coach Dominic Bulone said Beaudette can clinch a top-nine finish by defeating Temecula Valley senior Francisco Bernal in his first match today.

If Beaudette loses to Bernal, he would have to come back to win two straight matches to make state, March 4-5 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.

“He looks really sharp and he’s made good decisions for the most part,” Bulone said of Beaudette in a phone interview.

Beaudette (33-10) is trying to become the first Sailor to make the state meet since Josh George placed eighth at 140 pounds in 2008. Beaudette’s older brother, Brian, also made state at heavyweight in 2007.

Beaudette was one of three wrestlers at 189s with a bye in Friday’s first round. He then edged Great Oak senior Ryan Rees, 4-3, to make the quarterfinals. Beaudette then lost via fall in 43 seconds to Kaiser junior Anthony Flores.

Rees is ranked No. 18 in the state in the division by The California Wrestler, and Beaudette, the Sunset League and CIF Inland Division champion, is unranked. But Bulone said Beaudette used an escape and takedown in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. After Rees rallied, Beaudette got an escape for the win with about a minute left in the match.

“He wrestled a smart match and was confident against a very good wrestler,” Bulone said.

The other local wrestler Friday, Corona del Mar junior Cody Forrest at 215 pounds, went 0-2 and was eliminated.

Forrest, who finished fourth in the CIF Coastal Division, lost to San Clemente senior Hayden Yacobucci, 7-0, in his opening match at Masters. He then dropped a 4-2 decision to Magnolia senior James Acosta.

— From staff reports