Torrance and Ventura Battle for Dual-Meet Wrestling Title

Second-seeded Torrance High will meet top-seeded Ventura at 5:30 p.m. today in the Southern Section 3-A Division dual-meet wrestling championship match at Edison High in Huntington Beach.

Torrance (23-2), the Pioneer League champion, reached the first-ever divisional dual-meet final by defeating Covina, El Rancho and third-seeded Valencia in preliminary-round matches last week. Ventura (20-1) advanced by defeating San Luis Obispo, South Hills and West Torrance, runner-up to Torrance in the Pioneer League.

In the 3-A individual championships last weekend, Ventura took first place with 141.5 points. Torrance finished sixth with 105.5.

Torrance wrestlers Chris Xavier (112 pounds) and Matt Driggs (152) each placed first at the individual meet. Top wrestlers for Ventura include 3-A champions John Jemenez (119) and Matt Jones (140) and runner-up Scott Adams (189).

Ventura, champion of the Channel League, is coached by Paul Clementi. Torrance is coached by Mike Liebig.

In today’s other divisional dual-meet finals, Yucca Valley (15-2) meets Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (11-9) for the 1-A title and Buena Park (20-5-1) meets Temecula Valley (13-1) for the 3-A championship, both at 3 p.m. In the last match of the session, Fontana (30-1) meets Indio (16-0) for the 4-A title at 7:30.

Individual qualifiers for the State Championship meet March 6-7 at the University of the Pacific in Stockton will be determined Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Southern Section Masters Meet at Fountain Valley High.