Estancia wrestlers get fresh start

Barry Faulkner

First-year Estancia High wrestling coach Brian Burgess onlyh as a

vague idea of how his Eagles will fare against the competition this

season.

But the former assistant at Edison and Fountain Valley, who

wrestled at Edison and teaches physical education at Estancia, at

least knows what they’re in for: an unprecedented amount of hard work

and discipline.

“In the limited time we’ve been working out, I haven’t had too

much of a chance to see these guys wrestle,” Burgess said, days

before the Eagles opened their season with a dual-meet victory over

University Dec. 4. “Right now, I’m trying to strip everyone down to

square one and start over again.”

Before Burgess gets into specific technique, he said he will focus

on developing work ethic and concentration in practice.

“Even some of the seniors who have been in the program, hadn’t

gone through a fully structured wrestling practice,” Burgess said. “I

want them to learn how to go through a practice and train correctly.

Right away, these guys might have thought they were having a hard

practice, and I was looking at it as a 20% intensity workout. I’m

going to be pushing them past what they thought was their limit.”

With 33 athletes in the program, limited participation is not a

concern and Burgess believes his wrestlers have the desire to take

direction.

In the early going, seniors Ulisses Cardena (the projected starter

at 119 pounds), Alphonso Pedroza (125), Martin Diaz (135), Adam

Rodriguez (152), Matt Zich (160) and Landon Pulizzi (215), form a

promising veteran nucleus.

Juniors Raul Cruz (heavyweight), Caley Carr (130) and Alex

Sotomayor (171) are also expected to contribute as upperclassmen.

Burgess also has a group of sophomores, headed by 112-pounder

Danny Alderete, to help mold as he tries to add stability to a

program that has long been in flux.

Sophomores Patrick Conlon (130), Juny Panduro (135), Dan

Silverthorn, as well as freshmen Gabe Thaler (140) and Efren Alvarez

(189) add further hope for the future.

Sophomores Noe Canas (145), Erick Cisneros (125), freshman Mark

Kuchczynski (119), senior Anthony Hermann and, potentially, senior

football standout Bubba Kapko (heavyweight), are also those who may

contribute this season, Burgess said.

The Eagles, who host their own tournament Jan. 9-10, begin Golden West League action Jan. 6 against Ocean View.