After Wrestling’s winless season, League finals breathe new life into six wrestlers’ CIF hopes

Neil ThomasStaff WriterAnd then, there were six.Coming off their worst league record in recent memory (0-4), the Vikings competed in the Pioneer League finals last weekend to determine which wrestlers would continue, and whose season would end.Each wrestler had to square off against his league opponent in tournament style. The top three (of the five) in each weight class qualified to move on to CIF Southern Sectionals.Out of the fray, six Vikings emerged with their season hopes intact: juniors Chris Abdullah, Enrico Cascio, Gianni Forster, Omar Solorza, and Buzi Turner, along with senior Wesley Evans. Sophomore Spencer Gordon qualified as well, but due to an injury sustained in his final match, he will be unable to compete at CIF.Those who didn’t qualify spend the remainder of the season’s practices in the back, shaking their heads and talking about matches they should have won.The entire energy of the coaching staff is now being dedicated to the qualifiers, and the “do-or-die” mentality of the team is palpable in the air of the wrestling room — one slip from here on out marks the end of a wrestler’s championship hopes. If they do well at CIF, wrestlers can qualify to move on to Masters, and subsequently State Championships.Interestingly, with the graduation of Ben Yura, this year marks the first year in over a decade that the room is devoid of a previous Masters/State qualifier. The lack of Yura’s presence in the room this year is compounded his almost mythical image based on his talent and work ethic.“This group always thought [Yura] was a human anomaly,” coach Mark Black said. “They would look at him and say: ‘I can’t do that.’”But now, the same expectations that Yura faced are riding on the current CIF qualifiers. Black has confidence in four of the six qualifiers moving on to Masters, especially with Samo’s recent transfer to a less difficult CIF section.At the forefront stand Cascio and Turner, league champions at 161 and 145 lbs respectively, who are considered the favorites to continue the almost decade-old tradition of sending a competitor to Masters and State every year. Cascio did well at CIF last year, making the second day of competition, a rare feat for a sophomore. Turner has set the bar for success this year, placing sixth at Rosemead early in the season, and snagging a first place at Arroyo recently.“Success is the best teacher for Buzi — that’s why you see him placing first near the end of the season, as opposed to the beginning,” said Black, who also remarked on the consistency of Turner’s performance throughout the season.For now, the wrestlers are preparing their bodies to “peak” physically for CIF — the focus of Robert Forster’s Phase IV fitness program. But Black also emphasizes the importance of emotional “peaking.”“This is the time of year you will yourself to win or you will yourself to lose,” Black said. “If they wrestle flat, then it’s time to wait until next year.”CIF Wrestling Southern Sectionals will take place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19.nthomas@thesamohi.com