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CIF Prep Wrestling: Poway High’s Lopez, Tovar advance to semifinals at state championships

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The Poway High wrestling team will send senior

Victor Lopez

(145-pounds) and sophomore

Ralphy Tovar

(132) into the semifinals of the CIF State Wrestling Championships Saturday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.

The Titans, which are trailing only Clovis in the team race 114-80.5, will need some help to pull out their fifth state title in program history. The Cougars have three in the semifinals and are the heavy favorites to win it all for the third year in a row.

Lopez and Tovar have shots to become the first state champions at Poway since Henry Yorba and Ian Daube in 2009. Lopez, ranked No. 1 in a few rankings and No. 2 in others, will face Christian Pagdilao of Santiago in the semifinals Saturday. Pagdilao is also ranked No. 1 in a few rankings. The two will settle that debate on the mat.

Tovar will wrestle freshman Aaron Pico of St. John Bosco. Pico is ranked No. 1 in the nation and considered by many to be the greatest wrestling prospect ever in the USA. Pico already owns a win over Tovar this season.

Del Norte High’s Sam Acosta fell 1-0 in the quarterfinals to Johnny Parada of San Fernando, but still has a shot at placing third in the state. Other wrestlers still with a shot to place on Poway are: Tirso Lara (106), Taylor Dial (120), Sergio Enloe (138), Steve Cervantes (170) and Tim Chassen (220).

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