Update: Newport Harbor Pins Its State Wrestling Hopes on Beaudette

(Updated at 11:59 p.m., March 4: Newport Harbor wrestler Bradley Beaudette lost his first-round match, 14-1, to junior Kyle Lincoln of Yosemite but won his next match, 5-3, over senior William Anderson of Granite Bay before losing to junior Jariah Booker of Las Plumas, 1-0, Friday at the CIF State Wrestling Championships at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield. To follow the state meet, click on this link and go to bottom of the list.)

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Bradley Beaudette spent most of his childhood on the suface of the mat as his older brother Brian used him to practice the latest professional wrestling moves.  

“I was always the guy receiving the flying elbows or leg smashes from my brother,” Beaudette said. “He was always the good guy and I would always get pinned.”  

Now little brother has taken over the role of being on top, as he has had one of the best wrestling seasons in recent memory at Newport Harbor High.

It has been more than 13 years since Newport Harbor High has had a CIF Southern Section champion in wrestling, but Beaudette ended that drought by winning the 189-pound weight class championship at the Inland Division individual tournament on Feb. 19.   Beaudette, the Sunset League champion, beat Jordan Bixler of Redlands East Valley, 5-0, in the title match.

"It was so awesome," the senior said. "It is by far the greatest feeling in the world to be on top of the podium."  

Beaudette (34-11 record, including 15 pins) also became the first section champion in Dominic Bulone's tenure as Newport Harbor's coach.  

“You could tell that he was not going to be denied,” Bulone said. “He controlled the match from start to finish and when he won, I couldn’t have been more proud. He deserved it.”  

Beaudette, who went 4-0 in the two-day tournament, edged Raymond Sanchez of A.B. Miller, 4-3, in the semifinals.  

"He has been really aggressive and confident the whole season," Bulone said of Beaudette. "Even when he gets a little bit of a lead he doesn't sit back. He just keeps going."  

Beaudette had defeated Sanchez, 10-1, earlier in the season but he had never faced Bixler before the final match.  

"I was tight in the beginning, but I was still really determined to win it," Beaudette said. "I just knew that I wanted it really bad, not only for me but for our coach and school."  

Beaudette advanced to the CIF Masters Meet on Feb. 26, where he placed eighth and earned a right to compete in the CIF State Wrestling Championships, beginning today and running through Saturday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.  

He is the first Sailor to reach the state meet since Josh George placed eighth at 140 pounds in 2008. Beaudette's brother, Brian, also made state meet at heavyweight in 2007.

“Nothing will top the feeling of winning the CIF title,” Bradley Beaudette said. “Unless I can win the state, but I know it will be a tough road because I will be going up against the best wrestlers in the state.”