Challenge lies ahead

Bryce Alderton

Corona del Mar High wrestling coach Gary Almquist got his preyers

answered.

“I’m excited about (Santa Ana) Calvary Chapel being in the

league,” said Almquist about the powerhouse Eagles moving into the

Pacific Coast League this season. “I want the young kids to get as

tough as they can get and we’re going to find out how tough we need

to be.”

Calvary Chapel has won two of the last three state titles and had

five wrestlers place in the top five at the Masters tournament last

season. John Williams (171 pounds) went 38-1 to win the state title

and Masters tournament as an Eagle junior last season to claim The

Times’ Wrestler of the Year recognition.

Fresh off Corona’s first Pacific Coast League title, Almquist has

just three seniors off a team that featured CIF Southern Section

Division III champion Steven Russell (heavyweight) and Stephen

Shipman (215 pounds), who finished fifth at CIF, along with league

champion Jeremy Warner (118). Russell and Shipman both won league

titles in their respective weight classes.

“We’re a young team that will work hard,” said Almquist, now in

his seventh year coaching Sea King wrestlers.. “We’ll have nothing

but our work cut out for us. I want guys who work hard over guys with

talent.”

Returning for Corona include seniors Cam Pospisil (145), Dan

Gushue (152) along and Joe Klunder (171). Three juniors including

Ryan Shores (160), Dane Robie (189) and Alex Diaz (215) round out

CdM’s upperclassmen.

Shores, Robie and Diaz all won district championships along with

sophomore Brian Feeley at the Newport-Mesa District Championships

Dec. 19. The Sea Kings went 1-2 against Estancia, Costa Mesa and

Newport Harbor.

Shores defeated a Costa Mesa wrestler, 15-11, in one of the longer

matches at the four-team meet, finally wrapping his arms around the

opponent’s knees and flipping him on his back to win. Gushue took

second at the Andrew Pena Classic at Irvine High Dec. 14.

“(Shores) has really worked hard,” said Almquist, who was largely

responsible for organizing the first-ever Newport-Mesa championships.

Robie trailed his Newport Harbor counterpart, 15-4, during their

match last week but came back to set himself up for a winning pin

where he strapped his left arm around his opponent’s neck and flung

him to the mat.

Robie’s win sent the Corona crowd into cheers.

“I credit Coach Almquist and all his wrestling moves,” Robie said

afterward. “I never gave up.”

Sophomores Matt Loeb (125), Isaac Inouye (130), Jon Dean (140),

Robbie Richey (heavyweight) and Taylor Alston (103), who gets his

cast off a broken hand today, join freshman Tim Sullivan as others to

lead Corona’s charge this season. CdM fills every class except 112.

Almquist expects Tesoro to also be competitive when league play

begins.

“I believe in the saying, ‘Semper Rex Maris,’ Latin for ‘Always

king of the sea,’” Almquist said.