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SPORTSAztecs grab first placeWRESTLING: Withvictory over Los Al, Esperanza is unbeaten in theSunset League.By Lowell BenninkPlacentia News-TimesFirst place. Undefeated in league. One match to go.Basking in the warmth of not only beating your school’s biggest rival, but your team’s biggest obstacle to winning league.Such is where Esperanza High’s wrestlers found themselves Jan. 30, celebrating a 26-22 victory over Los Alami-tos High - at home, in front of a large, supportive crowd.Entering this week, Esperanza was ranked No. 7 in Orange County, fourth in the CIF-Southern Section Division II polls.‘We’re pretty excited,” coach Steve Marshall said with a grin. “I’m extremely happy. These kids are the hardest-working kids we’ve had here, maybe ever. We have some great kids.”Part of the reason for the Aztecs’ success is a group of kids that refuse to give up. Marshall admits that the team, on paper, might not always have the best wrestlers on the mat.But they have refused to let that stop them; and it shows.“They just keep coming,” Marshall said. “They keep working hard, they keep pushing people and pushing. We’re beating guys that are better than us because we’re pushing them all over the mat.Photos by Lowell Bennink / Placentia News-TimesROBBY TRUEBLOOD of Esperanza High stays with his 140-pound match against Los Alamitos last week.“These kids are working hard, and that’s the bottom line.”Exceeding expectations has also helped. The Aztecs lost some key people from last season’s team, but they knew they still had a lot of good people coming back.Evan Garza, who wrestled at 145 pounds against Los Alamitos, said he expected a good team with a lot of solid talent, but it went beyond that.“I didn’t know some of the guys would step up as much as they have,” Garza said. “So I was really pleased, really happy with that. All of the guys, they worked hardin the spring, through the summer and fall, and they’re working hard again right now.”Marshall credits Garza and Joel Sarmiento with being keys for the team, but with a qualifier.“I hate to name just two guys,” he said. “It’s been a team effort. Everybody’s been doing it.”Marshall clicks up people who have been wrestling well for the Aztecs, including Robby Trueblood, Dominic Constantino, Chris Snyder, Shane Patterson. Not only have they been winning the big matches, they’re coming up big in losses, as well.In wrestling, teams collect points from individual matches. The better an individual does, the more team points he receives.The Aztecs have excelled in not only picking up the points they need, but in keep matches close when they lose - resulting in a smaller point haul for their opponents.“Those,” Marshall said, “are as good as wins.”Esperanza knew early on that Los Alamitos would be the key. They started gaining confidence in the early in-vitationals, talcing home some titles along the way.AZTEC Robert Lindeman, right, struggles for the right grip.t • *M• /i h *V , »in■uO31in=rCDOCDutoCDrrocQ73(DIQt/H*CDrrccnCLOJCDOcnooUJU35SH3*mt4iminPlease see AZTECS Page 20H ^ , i i * : lt;i* »» *• • “. i.' »kill*1 * • r f• * % • * * iix .-'V-i • * A ~ t!r**Tl**1 # k_ i l \i »- a/ -) *•••. A * - k r^ *, a.19
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Orange City News
Orange, California, US
Thu, Feb 06, 2003
Page 115
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