Titan Wrestling Takes Win in Dual Meet Before League Play

The Grand Terrace High School wrestling team came out on top after hosting a dual meet against non-league opponent Citrus Valley High School Wednesday evening, Jan. 8. The final varsity score saw Grand Terrace victorious with a close 43 to 35 win. The junior varsity Titans wracked up 18 points against the Blackhawks during the first portion of the meet. Their initial 12-0 lead was throttled after Citrus Valley managed to get on the board with the team's first pin, netting six points. By the end of the junior varsity matches the teams were tied with an 18-18 final score. In the varsity match, the Titans remained strong against the Blackhawks. The first varsity match saw freshman Sebastian Juarez, normally a junior varsity wrestler, up against a varsity Blackhawk opponent. Juarez had been moved up to varsity during the dual meet to fill a vacant space, coaches said. For most of the match Juarez remained in control of his opponent, eventually coming up with a pin that netted the the varsity team its first six points for the evening. Juarez was followed by varsity teammate Logan Odenbaugh, who competed in the 113-pound weight class, a weight class up from his usual 106. Odenbaugh remained fierce through the match, eventually pinning down his opponent to add another 6 points to the scoreboard. By the end of the second match the Titans were up 12 to 0. Grand Terrace's Garret Pattison in the 138 weight class and Andrew Mena in the 220 weight class also added to the Titan's overall lead with pins on their Citrus Valley opponents. "Our lower weight classes did well and we had two key wins in [our upper weight] matches to put us on top," said Titan coach John Odenbaugh. "Our varsity kids are continuing to improve and (exhibit) a good level of competition for this time of the season, and we're looking forward to finishing strong." Grand Terrace is gearing up to compete in the first league match of the season against inter-district rival, the Colton High School yellowjackets. Grand Terrace will go into the upcoming Jan. 16 match with a 4-0 record. "We've improved from last year, where we went 1-4 overall," Odenbaugh said. "So we're in good shape headed into league (play). That's really going to be a key match to determine who goes to CIF," Odenbaugh said. On Jan. 23 the Titans will compete in league play against Fontana High School. Both matches will begin at 5 p.m. in the Grand Terrace High School gymnasium. The 2015 senior Titan wrestlers will be honored during the Jan. 23 match.