COSTA MESA -- The Vanguard men's wrestling team squared off at the second annual Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament today inside the Freed Center for Leadership & Service.  Vanguard finished in fourth with 76.5 team points and Marquize Brown became the first individual MPSF Champion for VU, while Asa Goff & Vince Partington finished in second as the only other podium placer for Vanguard.
 
125 Pounds
Jovanni Evangelista took on Garen Keshishian in his opening bout, and though Evangelista was ahead 7-5, with two takedowns in the bag, Keshishian made a pin to grab a victory.  Needing a victory to get to the third-place matchup, Evangelista faced Roberto Loepz of Menlo, but Lopez prevailed 17-4.
 
133 Pounds
Isaiah Torres took on Josh Neiwert of Cal Poly Humboldt but Neiwert would make a takedown and roll that into a pin in the first period.  Down to his last life, Torres faced Atridad Feizi of MC, but was again pinned in the first interval. 
 
141 Pounds
Robert Villegas faced CPH's Darrell Nanpuya and Nanpuya took the encounter 19-3.  Cash Port took on Menlo's Michael Torres, but the Oak rolled him for a pin in the first period.  Both VU wrestlers faced each other for the opportunity to battle for bronze, and Villegas got the first takedown in the opening stanza.  Port countered with one at the beginningof the second, but Villegas got one in the later stages of the period and had three escapes in total.  Though Port had a takedown with 27 seconds to go in the bout, Villegas prevailed 9-6.  That put Villegas against San Francisco State's Khaisen Chen, but Chen led 3-1 after one period.  Chen made an escape to start the second frame, though Villegas rocked him with a takedown to come to within a point, but Chen made a reversal to win 6-4.
 
149 Pounds
Randy Lockwood was pitted against Menlo's Tyger Taam, and Taam would win 15-0.  Moving to the consolation side of the bracket, Lockwood took on SF State's Andre Dargani, but Dargani won 17-0.
 
157 Pounds
Partington and Noah Elliott (MC) were paired up to start the bracket and Partington had the opening takedown, which turned out to be the only one.  Each wrestler got an escape, and though Elliott got a reversal, Partington had some stellar defense for a 4-3 decision.  That set him up against SF State's Basil Othman and though he tried his best, Othman made a takedown and converted that into a pin to take the gold, with Partington finishing in second.
 
165 Pounds
Caidence Turner and Kanaipono Tapia of Menlo were up first and Tapia took the encounter 16-0.  Fighting for bronze, Turner faced Sam Weiberg of CPH, but he could not get a point, falling 16-0 in two periods.
 
174 Pounds
Mason Hernandez started off against the Lumberjacks' Nathan Vasquez, and Hernandez only had one takedown in his 11-4 defeat.  Keagen Kroeger was against top-seeded Isaiah Morales of Menlo and the Oak prevailed 10-0.  In the battle of the two Lions, it would be Hernandez who took the decision, as he blanked Kroeger 12-0 in the first period.  Hernandez then matched up with Sam Weinberg of CPH, but the Lumberjack won 16-0. 
 
184 Pounds
Brown handled Josiah Hurd of San Francisco Staet with ease, winning 18-0 in two periods.  He then moved on to face Sage Adie of CPH and Brown was in control for most of the match, powering through for a 17-8 victory.  That posted Brown in the title fight against Eric Ruiz of CPH, and Brown made a takedown and a pin to become the champion within the first minute of the contest.
 
197 Pounds
Goff and Lumberjack Micaiah Montalbin were pegged together and the two were tied at 4-4 after one period. Yet Goff was the better wrestler the rest of the way, scoring eight unanswered points to advance with a 12-4 victory.  Facing Diego Morales of MC in the title tilt, and Goff had a couple of positive moments, but Morales had the only three takedowns of the meeting to win 9-3.
 
 
285 Pounds
David Baxter opened his run against Javier Martinez of Menlo and after each wrestler got one escape, Baxter threw Martinez to the deck for a takedown with 16 seconds left to win 4-1.  In the championship match, Baxter faced Felipe De Matos of SF State and though Baxter made a couple of escapes, De Matos won 10-3.
 
What was Said?  "We have a young team and today is just the start of what our team is capable of doing and a new journey in Division II," said Head Coach Caleb Flores.  "Shout out to our first-ever MPSF champ Marquize!"
 
What's Next?  The Lions host a tri-dual next Saturday starting at 10:00 a.m.