|
East L.A. wrestlers are throwing weight around
 | | East L.A. College wrestler Richard Patini, left, battles Claudio Seanez of Mt. San Antonio in a recent 133-pound division match. Patini won an 11-9 decision in overtime and ELAC won the dual meet. |
By RON GUILD, Sports Editor 25.OCT.07
A deep and talented team has East L.A. College wrestling coach Ralph Valle thinking big this year.
The Huskies, 9-2 in dual meets and ranked No. 10 in the state, have developed into one of California’s top community college teams.
“We’re hoping to qualify all 10 weight classes for state and I see us as an outside threat to win state,” Valle said. “Right now I’d put us in the top five.”
Valle attributes the rise in fortunes this year to one area.
“It’s recruiting,” he said. “We’ve had a good recruiting year, and it’s mostly local kids. A good recruiting class makes a coach look like a genius.”
ELAC, whose only dual meet losses have been to Palomar, the state’s top-ranked team, has fared well against most of the elite competition. The Huskies were third as a team at the South Duals and tied for fifth with Cerritos at the Santa Ana Tournament. They were scheduled to host Cerritos this week.
The Huskies are threats to win in every weight class.
Sam Saunders (eighth in the 2006 state tourney at 125 pounds), Richard Patini (133), 157-pound returner Jeff Peterson from Norwalk High School, Ellis Trotter (eighth-ranked in the state at 165), 22-year-old Jay Bogan (13-1 with 10 pins at 174), James Clay (No. 2 in the state at 184) and Mike Salcido (197), a freshman from Glenn High who made it to the state tournament two years ago, have been standouts for the Huskies.
Clay, who is 15-0, is described as “a warrior” by Valle. He competed for Mt. San Antonio in 2002, finishing third in the state. He will be ELAC’s lone representative at this weekend’s North-South All Star match at Cuesta in San Luis Obispo.
“This is a great group of hard-working kids,” Valle said.
----------
Still in search of victory number one, the East L.A. College football team (0-7, 0-4) travels to Santa Barbara (2-5, 1-3) Saturday for a Western State Conference Mountain Division game. Kickoff is at 4 p.m.
The Huskies were 53-7 losers to Canyons last Saturday. Santa Barbara lost to Bakersfield, 28-12.
Freshman Jerryl Brown (Inglewood High) and Antoine Smithson have been sharing the quarterback duties of late for the Huskies. Smithson, who began the season as a wide receiver, is still the team’s top pass catcher with 24 for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Chris Jordan (Hawthorne) has 17 catches for 144 yards.
 
06.DEC.07 City finalists are on solid ground
06.DEC.07 Eight is enough for these programs
06.DEC.07 DeRozan top prize of USC recruiting class
06.DEC.07 Cerritos women in the state tourney
06.DEC.07 Garfield, University in Invitational final
06.DEC.07 Star not yet on radar of recruiters
06.DEC.07 Monarchs win title on shot by Glover
06.DEC.07 Week’s grid stat standouts
06.DEC.07 Sports Briefs
06.DEC.07 Black leads Downey to fifth place at tourney
06.DEC.07 Ramirez signs with national power CSF
06.DEC.07 St. Paul faces Palmdale for title
06.DEC.07 East L.A. sends 10 to state wrestling finals
29.NOV.07 A tough lesson learned hard way
29.NOV.07 Week’s grid stat standouts
29.NOV.07 Top seed stands in path of Crenshaw
29.NOV.07 Jackson’s feat earns national recognition
29.NOV.07 Garfield one step from return trip to Coliseum
29.NOV.07 Schurr faces Fullerton in Southeast semis
29.NOV.07 East L.A. places fourth, Elisaldez all-tournament
29.NOV.07 Cerritos women one win from trip to state
22.NOV.07 Franklin has Dorsey running smoothly
22.NOV.07 Spartans shock Eagle Rock
22.NOV.07 Dons are step too quick for Highland
|
|
|
|
|
