By Rick Assad
For the second straight season and in spectacular fashion, the Burbank High wrestling team captured the Rio Hondo League championship on Wednesday night.
For the record and on Senior Night, the host Bulldogs zipped past the Wildcats 77-4 in the boys division while the girls lost 40-20.
Some of the seniors included Tyler Huo, who wrestles at 132 pounds, Ronel Hakoupian, who weighs 165 pounds and Thomas Adzhemyan, who hits the mat at 175 pounds.
Jonathon O’Brien is Burbank’s first and only head coach and was ecstatic in the victory.
“The league title belongs to the whole program, not just the boys (technically just the boys but the girls earned it too),” he said. “By winning it means we’re getting ready for the CIF Southern Section dual companionship on Saturday [January 31] at Simi Valley High School. We’ll be ready.”
Romney De La Rosa is Burbank’s assistant coach and was also pleased with the outcome.
“Burbank High School’s wrestling program made a statement last night, in just its fourth year. The program has captured the Ro Hondo League championship for the second consecutive season,” he said. “The night was made even more special as the seniors competed in their final home dual in front of friends and family. It’s a fitting send-off for the group that helped build the program from the ground up.”
Leading the parade for Bulldogs was senior Jayden De La Rosa, who won at 157 pounds after a second period technical fall with forty-one second left. De La Rosa dominated the action first period.
Before the season began, De La Rosa was ranked 13th in the state at 150 pounds and is now ranked ninth at that weight.
De La Rosa, who has been on the team for four years, was also hoping to become the school’s state qualifier.
“Last night was a night I am not going to forget. Everyone from school came together to make that night possible, from my coaches to our Athletic Director [Alli McKane] and the ASB [Associated Student Body],” he said. “We went into the dual confident and ready to win because the team knew we prepared ourselves every single day to win a league title.”
De La Rosa then added: “Everyone from top to bottom wrestled their hardest and had an important part in us winning league,” he said. “I couldn’t ask for a better home dual with the support from my family, and everyone came to support me.”
Still, there is unfinished business to tend to, according to De La Rosa.
“We aren’t done, though. We have team CIF duals and if we win that we have the school’s first title since 1993,” he noted. “Then I have my individual run to become the school’s first-ever state qualifier and state placer.”
The elder De La Rosa also chimed in.
“It was a more emotional night than usual, as it marked the final home dual match that I was able to coach my son, Jayden De La Rosa. He is preparing to make his run to the state tournament even more meaningful,” he explained. “Now, the Bulldogs prepare to compete next week at the individual Rio Hondo League Championship in Monrovia.”
At 113 pounds, sophomore Kaiden Takeuthi won on a fall with 1:38 left in the third period.
Meanwhile, at 120 pounds, sophomore Erwin Bedrcian pulled off a victory via a fall and with 1:46 remaining in the first period.
Sophomore Alex Pereira lost by way of a major decision at 126 pounds over three periods.
Pereira was the aggressor in the first period but tailed off a little bit in the second period and the third period.
At 132 pounds, sophomore Arayik Vardanyan proved too good as he grabbed an opening period stoppage via a fall with three seconds left.
Narek Danielian was a victory via a forfeit at 138 pounds.
Sophomore Gevork Kabalchuzyan won via forfeit at 150 pounds.
Junior Sevak Arakelyan was a winner at 150 pounds via first-period pin with forty-seven seconds left in the frame.
At 165 pounds, Nail Abdanov won via a medical forfeit and at 175 pounds, junior David Antanseyan won by forfeit while junior Andre Takhmasian emerged victorious via forfeit at 190 pounds.
Senior Albert Airapetian, at 215 pounds, claimed an opening-period stoppage via a fall with 1:22 remaining.
At 285 pounds, sophomore Evan Der Galstanian won via first period fall and 1:10 left on the clock.
At 106 pounds, freshman Nicholas Rostomyan grabbed a win on a forfeit.
The girls were paced by junior Austin Desai, who won at 115 pounds via third-period technical fall.
Sophomore Erika Sarkisian won by decision at 105 pounds and sophomore Bettina Shamiryan claimed a victory via forfeit at 120 pounds.
At 145 pounds, freshman Natalie Avadian lost by a first-period pin at 1:22.
Freshman Zoe Gomez won by forfeit at 110 pounds and freshman Katerina Onofriichuk, at 100 pounds, lost after an opening-period fall with forty-three seconds remaining.
Freshman Natalie Avadian lost at 145 pounds via a fall and at 125 pounds, freshman Sinned Arguelles lost via major decision after three periods.
