The Ventura Bobcats youth wrestling club has been reformed after a one-year break and is now practicing at the National Guard Armory, 1270 Arundell Ave., in Ventura on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5:30. The club, under the direction of Paul Clementi, former Ventura High wrestling coach, is open to ages 7 and up, but is geared for introducing the younger wrestlers to the sport.

Clementi is being assisted by coaches John Lopez and Glenn Egelko.

Four youngsters from the initial practices have shown great promise. They are Andrew Campos, Tyler Kurtz, Joel Lopez and Matthew Weisshaar.

The club is affiliated with the Buenventura Wrestling Club, which will hold practices, exclusively for high school wrestlers, on Tuesday nights at Ventura High.

The Bobcats are not affiliated with the Bengals wrestling club.

Information: Clementi at 641-2056.

WRESTLING

Local girls to compete in national tournaments

Michi Stoke, Tiffany Leon and Raelyn Pinkard of Pacifica High, and Deyvon Mondragon of Camarillo, all placed at both the CIF Southern Regionals and California Girls Championship meets. Pinkard, Leon and Stoke led the newly established Pacifica girls' program to a third- place team finish at the CIF individual championships at Channel Islands.

The Tritons brought home a sixth-place trophy from the state competion at Hanford West a week later. Stoke was the lone local CIF Champion. She followed with a third-place finish at state. Leon took second at CIF and finished sixth at state, after a loss in the semifinals.

Pinkard was fifth at CIF and eighth at State. Mondragon had garnered fifth-place medals at both meets. Her state performance was especially tough with a large black eye as a souvenier.

The Tritons will travel to Vallejo for their first spring competition on Saturday. Meets in Washington on March 8 and Oregon on March 9 will follow. A major competition in Oklahoma is on the schedule if final details can be worked out. The USGWA Nationals at Churchill High in Livonia, Mich., on March 28-30 is the focus for the girls.

Stoke finished 10th at the 2007 meet. Her goal is an All-America finish in the top eight. Mondragon, Leon and Pinkard will be competing for the first time.

The girls will train with Jim Stych's Bengals program and Pacifica coach Darren Hatch. Mike Kildee and Trevor Keifer of USA Wrestling will also be involved in the preparation.

The girls are seeking donations to defray costs for the national meets. Donations may be directed to the Camarillo and Pacifica athletic departments. Information: Hatch (Pacifica) at 278-5000 or Ron Wilson (Camarillo) 389-6407.

Bengals: The Bengals are taking registration at the Oxnard PAL complex on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Room 203. Information: Stych at 320-1905.

ICE HOCKEY

Channel Islands wins peewee tournament

The Channel Islands Riptide peewee (11-12-year-olds) hockey team based at Oxnard's Channel Islands Ice Center captured their second tournament championship of the year at the Glacial Gardens Winterfest tournament in Lakewood.

The Riptide opened the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Simi Valley Mariners. Santa Barbara's Will Johnson scored two goals with Santa Barbara's Jayson Dimizio addedthe other. Assists were made by Ventura's Ryan Rotter, Jesse Hampton of Oxnard and Brandon Petrash of Camarillo.

In the second game, the Riptide routed the Ontario Eagles, 8-1. Strong defense was led by goalie Blake Weyrick, from Ojai, Blake Weinstein of Camarillo, and Sam McCarthy from Goleta. Camarillo's Connor Meaney recorded two assists in the win.

In Game 3, the Riptide dropped a 5-4 decision to the Vacaville Jets. Goals were scored by Johnson, Dimizio, Adam Katzner from Woodland Hills and Jordy White from Santa Barbara.

Needing a win in its next game to get a rematch with Vacaville in the final, the Riptide beat the L.A. Hockey Club 4-3 behind strong play from Zach Marshall from Oxnard, Josh Schindler from Ventura and Ross Ribons from Calabasas.

The final game went to overtime tied 3-3 before Santa Barbara's Joseph Sriprajittichai scored less than one minute into overtime to give the Riptide the championship.

Riptide coaches are Scott Johnson, Todd Marshall and Richard Petrash.

The Riptide Bantam B team will host the first round of the Southern California Amateur Hockey Association playoffs on March 8-9.