Comets hold off Rio Hondo 29-28, finish 2nd in conference

WHITTIER (11-08-2018) – Visiting Palomar jumped out to a 28-9 lead over Rio Hondo College on Wednesday night, then held on to defeat the Rustlers 28-27 to finish alone in second place in the Southern California Wrestling Alliance Southwest Conference behind champion Cerritos.

Trailing early 9-0 after the Roadrunners won by pin at 125 pounds and by decision at 133,  coach Brody Barrios' Comets won five consecutive bouts, four by fall and one by major decision, to clinch the victory with three matches remaining:

Eric Reyes won by fall at 141 pounds.

Nathan Navida won by fall at 149.

Jessy Diaz won by major decision at 157.

Mace Anderson won by fall at 165.

Cameron Cox won by fall at 174.

In the last three matches of the night, Rio Hondo won by forfeit at 184 and by pin at both 197 and 285 to close to within one point in the final score.

Palomar finished 3-1 in conference matches.

The Comets will return to action on Nov. 17 when they wrestle at The Brawl at East Los Angeles College on Nov. 17, followed by the Southern California Community College Regionals at Rio Hondo on Dec. 1 and the CCCAA State Championships at Cerritos on Dec. 7-8.

In tournaments during the 2018 season, the Comets won the Mt. SAC Duals, placed fourth at the Santa Ana Tournament, finished second behind Cerritos in the Southern California Dual championships and were fifth in the Meathead Movers Invitational at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo.

In Southwest Conference duals, Palomar defeated Mt. SAC, Santa Ana and Rio Hondo with its only loss coming to Cerritos.