Wrestling preview: Mustangs sneaking up on PCL

Steve Virgen

With a fourth-place finish in the Pacific Coast League last year,

expectations aren’t so big for the Costa Mesa High wrestling team. And

Mustangs Coach Matt Kellogg likes it better that way.

The overshadowing of Mesa’s individual wrestlers will allow the

Mustangs to sneak up on others and, if anything, will create the proper

maintenance to fine-tune for next season.

“I don’t expect us to turn a lot of heads,” said Kellogg, in his third

year as head coach. “But, we’ll do well. And next year, as a team, we’re

going to compete.

Though wrestling is more of an individual sport, the Mustangs will be

led by juniors Benedick David (145-pound class) and Myron Tracy (152) who

were runners-up at last year’s PCL finals. Kellogg is excited the two are

improving. And he’s even more excited that they will be returning next

season.

“We have a lot of young guys out. I’m very encouraged,” Kellogg said.

“The leaders are our juniors (David and Tracy) so that shows something

really positive for the future.”

Kellogg also mentioned the leaders would have been joined by Art

Donovan, another runner-up in last year’s PCL finals, who is no longer at

the school.

But, Kellogg is thrilled over Julio Ramirez, another junior who might

be wrestling in the 160-pound weight class. Kellogg said Ramirez, who has

been academically ineligible for the past two years, is the only wrestler

he knows of who came to Mesa with wrestling experience.

Mesa football players who are crossing over to wrestling will only

help the Mustangs, Kellogg, a Mesa football assistant coach said. Kellogg

encouraged football players David, juniors Marco Fuentes and Doug

Amburgey, along with sophomores James Paulsen (heavyweight) and Tim

Iller, to wrestle because the training wil only improve their performance

on the football field.

“Wrestling definitely helps to tone up your football skills,” Kellogg

said. “The rate of strength, endurance, mental discipline and toughness

and balance is also crucial in wrestling.”

The Mustangs will rely on the football players and the youth on the

wrestling team to better last year’s finish. The PCL will be competitive

for them once again.

“(University) is probably the favorite,” Kellogg said. “Corona del Mar

had a tough team last year and (it will) be tougher than years past.

Estancia has a new coach and a lot of times a new coach can effect some

changes. If they get back a lot the guys from last year, they’ll be near

the top again.”

COSTA MESA WRESTLING

Dougl Amburgey

Stewart Anderson

Luis Aragon

Benedick David

Patrick Eller

Jonathan Enloe

Silvio Estrada

Jesse Franco

Marco Fuentes

Luis Gonzalez

Matt Grubisich

Timothy Iller

Jimmy Isais

Gregory McCarter

Darrrell McDaniels

James Paulsen

Julio Ramirez

Omar Ruiz

Michael Siminoff

Brandon Slaney

Murdock Tracy

Myron Tracy

Gabriel Felix

Benjamin Oremann

Adam Donovan

Enrique Salas

Sean Lynott

Coach: Matt Kellogg