Elephant power with cat-like quickness

Rick Devereux

An elephant should not be able to move like a lion. The animal with

size is supposed to be strong but slow, deliberate but devastating.

The combination of size, speed, agility and intellect is dangerous

in the animal kingdom and in the wrestling world.

Corona del Mar High senior Robby Richey competes in the 275-pound

weight class, the heavyweights.

Instead of being a lumbering elephant that pushes his way around

the wrestling mat, Richey is constantly moving, trying to find the

perfect opportunity to pounce on his opponent’s weakness. Like a lion

waiting for the kill.

“We try to use continuous motion,” Coach Gary Almquist said. “When

heavyweights get tired, they have a tendency to go for the pin and

usually make a mistake. I do not want Robby to get a pin in the first

round. I want him to wear down his opponent and get the pin in the

third round.”

Richey, who has a variety of nicknames ranging from “Salmon” to

“Big Red,” thinks he is in better condition than other heavyweights

because he also played football and has been constantly working out

for months.

“I’m pretty fit for my weight class,” the 6-foot-2 Richey said.

“[The heavyweight class] is moving and getting your hands in the

right position, which is a lot like pass blocking on the offensive

line for football.”

Richey has translated his football background into a stellar start

to the wrestling season. The former offensive tackle leads the team

with a 15-2 record and has won 12 straight matches, 11 coming from

pins, to earn Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week honors.

Richey went 9-0 with nine pins in a 10-team dual meet Dec. 10-11

and repeated as district champion, going 3-0 with two pins and a

forfeit against Costa Mesa, Estancia and Newport Harbor.

But waiting until the third round to win is harder than it seems,

especially if you already know how you are going to win.

After watching Estancia and Newport Harbor wrestle, Richey said he

knew what he needed to do to win both matches. He saw openings in his

future opponents and predicted pins. “Salmon” earned first round pins

in both matches.

“He is finally using his brain,” Almquist said. “In the movie

‘Braveheart,’ they say, ‘Use your brain and I’ll teach you how to use

a sword.’ That’s kind of what our philosophy has been.”

Richey regularly practices against his best friend and fellow

former-offensive lineman, senior Andrew Keligian.

“We are usually workout partners,” Richey said. “He has a lot of

technique for a big guy and he is always teaching me things. It helps

to have someone that isn’t afraid to let you know what you did wrong.

If you have a guy that doesn’t tell you anything, you won’t get any

better.”

As for the patience needed to wear down an opponent, well, Richey

is still working on it.

“I’d rather just pin the guy,” he said. “There is no better

feeling than pinning a guy because then there is no question as to

who won the match.”