San Fernando Tries to Get a Hold on City Wrestling Title

Nine years ago, Coach Mike Castillo of San Fernando High started a youth wrestling program.

The program, now run by John Paez at the San Fernando boys’ and girls’ club, has developed several strong wrestlers for the Tigers, including City Section champions Andy and Eddie Moro.

But this season San Fernando might have its best group of young talent ever.

Sophomores Willy German (160 pounds), Ramon Perry (135) and Conrad Silva (145), and junior Joseph Michel are favored to win City titles Saturday at University High.

All are products of the boys’ club program.

“They understand what the nature of the sport is coming in,” Castillo said. “It usually takes most kids who didn’t wrestle before high school a year to understand what’s going on.”

German, City champion at 145 pounds last year, is 22-4 this season. Two of his losses were to Chris Rueckert of Royal, who won the Southern Section Division III 171-pound title on Saturday.

San Fernando, which has only two seniors among its starters, is trying to win its first City team title since 1991.

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Apparently co-Coach Paul Clementi of Ventura doesn’t worry about the weight of his wrestlers.

On Monday, Clementi treated his team to a home-cooked Italian meal as a reward for winning the Pacific North League title.

There was plenty of pasta and Italian sausage.

“David Lopez looks like he put on 10 pounds,” Clementi said. “But don’t worry, he’ll be OK for Friday’s [Southern Section] Masters meet.”

Clementi, who enjoys making meals for his teams, picks up pointers by watching cooking shows.

“I especially like the guy who goes ‘Bam!’ ,” said Clementi, referring to TV chef Emeril Lagasse. “I think it comes from liking to eat.”

Lopez (145), Justin Rivera (160), Bobby Taylor (171) and Joaquim Real added to the celebration by qualifying for the Masters meet last Saturday at the Division I individual championships.

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When Ralph Garcia of Camarillo defeated Francisco Gamboa of Irvine University, 4-3, to win the Division IV 189-pound title on Saturday, there were tears in Garcia’s eyes.

“He was emotional and the tears were flowing,” Coach Ron Wilson of Camarillo said. “I was kind of taken by surprise. It’s usually not in his character to show that much emotion.”

Garcia was overcome with joy after he outlasted Gamboa, who finished sixth in the state tournament last season.

“Since I was a freshman, I had the goal to win [a section title] as a junior,” Garcia said. “Sometimes when you set a goal, even with all the time you put into it, you don’t know if it’s going to happen.”

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Senior Ron McKee of Thousand Oaks might have the most unimpressive record entering Masters meet on Friday.

The 189-pounder is only 8-4.

However, McKee, who had not competed since he was a sophomore because of knee injuries, is making up for lost time.

McKee received medical clearance to wrestle five weeks ago and helped the Lancers win their fourth consecutive Marmonte League title, which they shared with Agoura.

His improvement has been steady. Three weeks ago, McKee placed second behind Ted Gooch of Agoura at the Marmonte League finals, and Saturday he finished fifth at the Division III finals.

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Will Velasquez’s late-season run for Thousand Oaks might be as impressive as McKee’s.

Velasquez, a junior, was 7-19 last year. But this season he is 34-6, including a fifth-place finish at 152 pounds in the Division III finals.

“He really came on during the off-season,” co-Coach Larry Mortensen of Thousand Oaks said. “The biggest thing is he never quits. He works hard every day in practice.”

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Scott Speakman of Rio Mesa might have had the most impressive performance in the Division IV finals at Rancho Cucamonga.

After posting come-from-behind victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals, Speakman pinned Jonathan Garza of St. John Bosco in 1:03 to win the 140-pound title.

“He does pin a lot of people,” Coach Todd Stoke of Rio Mesa said. “But to get a pin in the final, that was a little unexpected. I don’t think I’ve ever had a varsity wrestler pin someone in a final anywhere.”

Speakman, 47-5 this season and 105-51 for his career, had tougher matches in the preliminaries.

In the quarterfinals, Speakman trailed Raul Ramirez of Rancho Alamitos, 8-0, before hooking together a cradle for a second-round pin.

In the semifinals, he overcame a four-point deficit in the final minute to record an 11-9 decision over William Arreola of Montclair.

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The Top 10

Rankings of region wrestling teams

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RK LW School (League) 1 1 Highland (Golden) 2 3 El Camino Real (City) 3 2 San Fernando (City) 4 4 Ventura (Pacific View North) 5 5 Camarillo (Pacific View South) 6 6 Quartz Hill (Golden) 7 7 Rio Mesa (Pacific View South) 8 8 Agoura (Marmonte) 9 9 Thousand Oaks (Marmonte) 10 10 Alemany (Frontier)

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