Wrestling: Mendez stands out in Marina’s win

The end of the regular season marks a period in which the circumstances will dictate one’s participation in the sport of wrestling.

Everyone is banged up, but for those who have reached the final chapter of their high school careers, it must seem like there is no real choice to be made.

Marina’s Ruddy Mendez has no interest in being fastidious about partaking in late-season dual meets, especially with his team in contention for the league title next week.

Despite two fractured ribs, the Vikings senior gutted out a dramatic victory in Marina’s 49-23 win over host Newport Harbor on Wednesday evening.

Mendez and Newport’s Ethan Zimmerman were locked in a tight match throughout their 160-pound bout. The two were tied, 4-4, after the second round, and Zimmerman earned an escape early in the third to take the lead.

Late in the final round, Mendez knew he was tired, but he was aware of the situation. He was trailing, 5-4, so a takedown could still win it.

With his coaches urging him to get the takedown, Mendez watched the clock wind down. Then he secured the takedown with five seconds left in the match.

“It’s a strategy that I use sometimes,” Mendez said. “This time, I cut weight, and I was tired. I used the strategy of looking at the clock, taking a shot, and getting the takedown.”

Marina moved to 4-0 in league, and the Vikings will take on Fountain Valley for the league title on Tuesday.

With the Sunset League Finals scheduled just two days later, Mendez was asked if he planned to wrestle against the Barons at the risk of further jeopardizing his health for the postseason.

“Of course,” he said. “I have to for my team. [Fountain Valley is] the defending league champions. I want to give it up for my team.”

After the match, Vikings Coach Chris Rasmussen proclaimed that his team is right where it hoped to be all along.

“I think that’s always the plan, to be in the final two,” he said.

Marina narrowly defeated Edison, 36-33, last week. The quality of the matches, more so than the final score, was where Rasmussen was hoping to see his team progress.

“I would say that we held their better kids to not getting pins,” said Rasmussen, who gave his team a passing grade on its performance. “That was what the big deal was that the plan was to come in here and not get pinned.”

The Vikings surrendered just one pin as a team, which belonged to Newport Harbor’s Austin Osumi in the 195s.

Daniel Escamilla returned the favor, pinning Newport’s Andrew Altamirano in the 285s.

It was senior night for the Sailors (8-9, 1-3), and DJ Van Oostendorp and Michael Craft showed up in a big way after they were among those honored in a pre-match ceremony.

Van Oostendorp scored seven takedowns and a reversal on his way to a 16-6 major decision in the 182s. He had four takedowns in the first period, but he mysteriously let his opponent back up quickly on a number of occasions.

It turns out the senior has his reasons for doing so.

“When I was taking him down and was letting him up every single time, my whole goal was to get into his head that he didn’t get up with all his might,” Van Oostendorp said. “I let him up, not that he earned it.”

Craft said the thought of his final home match influenced his mentality. He certainly had plenty of time to think about it, as he was the last to wrestle.

“It was an amazing feeling,” he said. “I always get nervous before my matches, but today, it felt different.”

Marina’s Joshua Herrera threw Craft to the mat hard twice in the opening minute, but the Sailors senior rebounded well.

After giving up the first takedown, he rallied for a 5-2 lead at the end of the first period. He joined Van Oostendorp with his own major decision, 12-4, in the 120s.

“He beat me twice last year in a dual meet and at league finals,” Craft said of Herrera. “I just felt like it was my time to beat him.”

Sunset League

Marina 49, Newport Harbor 23

Individual Results

106 – Mike McCoy (Mar) wins by forfeit.

113 – John Finney (Mar) maj. Cheyenne Stooks (NH), 9-0.

120 – Michael Craft (NH) maj. Joshua Herrera (Mar), 12-4.

126 – Timothy Mizukami (Mar) wins by forfeit.

132 – Luke Glover (Mar) wins by forfeit.

138 – Ernesto Martinez (NH) dec. Jesus Ortiz (Mar), 10-5.

145 – John McCoy (Mar) wins by forfeit.

152 – Tyler Jeffries (Mar) wins by forfeit.

160 – Ruddy Mendez (Mar) dec. Ethan Zimmerman (NH), 6-5.

170 – Wyatt Been (Mar) wins by forfeit.

182 – DJ Van Oostendorp (NH) maj. William Emery (Mar), 16-6.

195 – Austin Osumi (NH) pins Tyler Skidmore (Mar), 1:59.

220 – Conner Spence (NH) wins by forfeit.

285 – Daniel Escamilla (Mar) pins Andrew Altamirano (NH), 1:57.