Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Stephen Shipman

Steve Virgen

The opportunity escaped Stephen Shipman last year, so this time

around the Corona del Mar High senior wanted to make the most of it.

After all, he had been hoping for a Pacific Coast League wrestling

individual title since he was a freshman.

Last year, he finished runner-up in the 215-pound division. This year,

his hunger for the championship was illustrated in the title match in the

PCL finals at Costa Mesa High Feb. 2.

Shipman pinned Northwood’s Felix Peniche in the first period to win

the 2002 PCL title for the 215-pound division and earned Daily Pilot

Athlete of the Week honors.

“I wanted to get that championship,” said Shipman, who compiled a

28-12 record that included 20 pins. “It was a pretty great

accomplishment. I wrestled in my freshman year and I always thought that

it would be cool to win the title.”

Shipman, also a standout offensive and defensive lineman for the Sea

Kings’ football team, entered the wrestling season with extreme

confidence. His runner-up finish last year added to his motivation and

with the help of his teammates he was able to reach his goal.

“The championship is a credit to my wrestling partners, Brad Sperber,

Steve Russell and Sterling York,” said Shipman, who also sparred with his

coach, Gary Almquist. “I thought I could beat the competition this year.

I was pretty confident.”

Shipman’s success also impressed Almquist.

“I just stopped wrestling him, because he would hurt me,” Almquist

said. “My wife doesn’t like that. But that’s where you have to be: Tough.

Shipman got that tough.”

Tough is exactly what Shipman is all about. He displayed such in the

Big Bear Tournament earlier in the season. Almquist explains ...

“At Big Bear, Shipman faced the tournament’s No. 1 seed in the second

round, a big kid and a monster,” Almquist said. “The kid told Shipman, ‘I

look forward to wrestling you.’ Shipman just laughed. Then he ripped him,

stretched him out and pinned him. Shipman was unseeded in that tournament

and he won all four of his matches by pins to win the championship.”

Shipman’s confidence comes from the fact that he has the advantage

over most of his opponents. For starters, his 6-foot-3 frame is an

attribute that throws the opposition off balance. Then comes Shipman’s

greatest weapon. His skills gathered from the gridiron.

The quick jump off the line in attempt to get to the quarterback

correlates to his shoots in wrestling. On offense, knowing the snap count

and timing the blocks also relates to his shoots, when he fires at an

opponent for a takedown.

Shipman also used his hands and upper body strength in football and

that has made a huge difference on the mat. It’s the reason he’s able to

score so many takedowns, and then his strength increases as he cradles

his opponents for a pin.

“He’s become a man,” Almquist said. “He’s a leader. He’s been one of

our captains all year. He gets the job done. He leads warm-ups and

stretches everyday. He’s one of the finest kids to come through our

program ever. I remember him as a freshman listening. He took the

information in and did it. He’s a quiet kid and he’s serious, but he

likes to laugh. You always want him around. He has a very positive

attitude.”

Shipman will wrestle today with the Sea Kings as they enter the CIF

Southern Section Division III team tournament, facing Don Lugo High at

Upland High at 11 a.m. He will then wrestle in the CIF Division III

individual meet Friday at Ayala High.

Next year, Shipman plans to attend Cal State Fullerton to study

business and advertising. He said he will continue to train and stay fit.

With the amount of confidence he has amassed he said he might also try

out for the Titans’ wrestling team.