Numbers, interest continue to rise for Hoover wrestling
Hoover High School wrestlers Angelo Clarizio, left, and Jessie Martinez, right, learn take-down moves during practice at the school’s gym in Glendale on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
When the Hoover High wrestling team opens the season Thursday at home versus Van Nuys, it will mark a milestone of sorts.
The Tornadoes will begin their fifth year with numbers that are bigger than ever and with interest continually on the rise. Third-year coach Dave Beard, who was an assistant to Mark Bitetti in Hoover’s first two years, will graduate the program’s first-ever four-year participants in brothers Jessie and Geraldy Martinez.
“It’s big for us,” Beard said. “We’ve become a stronger program since we’ve started and personally, I think we can do more. I’d love to see us get more than one wrestler to Masters, but we’ll see how it goes.”
The numbers are certainly on Hoover’s side this season as the program is looking to field both a junior varsity and varsity squad with a current tally between 30 and 33 athletes with seven seniors and 12 returners.
Last season, the Tornadoes advanced seven wrestlers to the Rio Hondo League finals at Monrovia High and produced one champion in Narek Zamanyan and five additional qualifiers to the CIF Southern Section Coastal Division Championships.
Hoover High School wrestling coach Dave Beard teaches the finer points of take-down moves during practice at the school’s gym in Glendale on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
While almost every Tornadoes grappler ended his season at the Coastal Division Championships in Lake Elsinore on Feb. 21, Hoover received a breakthrough effort from senior Edmen Shahbazyan.
The 195-pounder finished third in his weight class and became the second-ever Hoover wrestler to advance to the CIF Masters Meet in Ontario.
When asked if his team had another Shahbazyan or Arthur Ghukasyan (the program’s only state qualifier), Beard shied away from anointing anyone.
“I don’t see that this year,” Beard said. “This is a team that’s going to put in a lot of hard work and is hopefully going to have more than one standout.”
If Hoover is to advance one or more wrestlers to Masters or state, there’s a good chance that one of the Martinez brothers will carry the torch.
Jessie Martinez is coming of a 25-5 season at 132 pounds in which he finished runner-up to San Marino’s Julian Flores in league and tallied a 3-2 mark at the Coastal Division championships, but missed the cut to Masters.
“For me personally, I hope to make it to Masters,” said Jessie Martinez, a fullback/defensive lineman for the football team. “I want to go as far as possible and become our school’s third wrestler to Masters. I think I can do it. The tournaments we have this year are a lot tougher.”
Jessie Martinez is expected to compete again at 132 pounds, but will likely begin the year at 138 pounds.
Members of the Hoover High School wrestling team learn taken-down moves during practice at the school’s gym in Glendale on Friday, Nov. 20, 2015.
As for Geraldy Martinez, he posted a 14-6 record last season, was an injury default second-place finisher to San Marino’s Zander Wick at the league’s 145-pound championship and was eliminated on the first day of division action.
Geraldy Martinez is expected to wrestle again at 145 pounds this year, although Beard said there’s a possibility for some grappling at 138 pounds.
Zamanyan, a senior, was a surprise league champion last season in claiming the 138-pound title with a 13-9 win over St. Paul’s Ryan Rendich.
“My goal is to qualify to Masters, which means I have to make top five in CIF,” Zamanyan said. “It’s going to be a very tough challenge for me, but I think if I continue to work hard over the next two months, I can do it.”
This season, the Tornadoes will certainly see their share of competition as the squad has a schedule that includes tough action in the Gabrielino, Damien, Shark Tank and Jim Bauer tournaments.
“We really stepped up our game as far as the schedule goes,” Beard said. “We’re going to some elite tournaments and I think it’s time to test this program and see how it does.”
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Andrew J. Campa, andrew.campa@latimes.com
Twitter: @campadresports