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Written by Marc Aceves | Patterson Irrigator
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Friday, 14 November 2008 |
Hopes are high as Patterson wrestling launches 2008-09 season
 GET LOW: Douglas Medrano and the rest of the 2008-09 wrestling team practice bear crawls and other conditioning exercises during practice Thursday. Photo by Elias Funez
“Our emphasis isn’t on winning, it’s on effort,” Scoles said. “If we give effort and we never give up, than we have the opportunity to be successful.”
Monday’s practice marked the beginning of Scoles’ 28th season of involvement with the Tigers’ wrestling program. It started with a conditioning workout in the newly remodeled Patterson High wrestling room, located inside the gymnasium.
“Last year, when we started out with 71 kids, we were at three different practice sites,” Scoles said. “This year, we are at an advantage, because the wrestling room is already there.”
As the Tigers reload, Scoles feels the loss of last year’s leaders, Adrian Ramirez and Elias Pasillas, to graduation. However, a surge of returning talent has given him a boost of confidence entering the season.
Scoles will lean on seniors Danny Arriola and Nelson Rangel, as well as Cesar Gomez, Caleb Martinez, George Miranda and Adrian Rodriguez to help fill the void left by last season’s stalwarts.
“We have some good returning kids,” Scoles said. “Some of these kids could have an immediate impact on our team and might see some success very early on.”
 RUNNING INTO SHAPE: The team runs laps inside the newly remodeled wrestling room during the first week of practice for the 2008-09 season. Photo by Elias Funez
Zach Whitney, Ricky Howard, D.J. Cota, Blane Christiansen and John Bingham — all members of the JV team a season ago — will vie for spots at the varsity level.
“I think that we should be solid from top to bottom,” Scoles said. “That will be important for us both at the varsity and JV levels.”
Currently, the Tigers have about 35 wrestlers working out under the direction of Scoles and his assistant coaches, Gary Scoles and Juan Gonzalez. Scoles expects anywhere between 60 and 80 wrestlers by the time the season gets under way.
Among those athletes are 13 girls. A year ago, the program saw a record turnout of female competitors — eight girls made the team — all of whom wrestled in various tournaments and league matches.
Scoles said that his grapplers will once again compete in Manteca’s all-girl wrestling tournament later in the season.
“There will also be a girls state championship in Vallejo sometime in January,” Scoles said. “Within another year or two, the CIF is going to mandate that high schools provide girls wrestling teams.
“We might as well be in on the ground floor of that.”
Scoles is aiming for a second-place finish in the WAC, a spot often occupied by rival Livingston. He also wants to continue challenging perennial wrestling juggernaut Central Catholic.
“We need to get over the hump against Livingston,” Scoles said. “Central has section qualifiers coming in as freshman, but I’d still like to see us really push them.”
The Tigers will kick off the season during a home exhibition Nov. 25 at the Patterson High gymnasium. The annual Crimson and Gray match is an assessment of the team’s talent and a chance for every member to get some time on the mats.
The event will be free to the public.
Contact Marc Aceves at 892-6187 or
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i will be on those mats next week suckas! i may have lost my touch but i still know how to throw it down!