By Billy Ortiz, STAFF WRITER <\/p>\n
It was Monday evening and Campolindo High coach Bob McLaughlin called it a day for the several local wrestlers who had gathered at his school for practice.<\/p>\n
San Ramon Valley senior David Christian and his father, Wayne, weren’t ready to stop. They told McLaughlin they’d roll the mats up if they could stay a little longer, and McLaughlin agreed.<\/p>\n
“Then it was just us and the janitor, “Wayne Christian said.<\/p>\n
Not an unusual situation for David Christian. He always stays later than everyone else.<\/p>\n
“His work ethic is unmatched, “San Ramon Valley coach Ed LeCara said. “I have never seen anything like it. He’ll spend a few hours after practice working on things he feels we didn’t (go over). Just him and his dad, and who knows how much time they spend at home.”<\/p>\n
Such is the life for the top-ranked wrestler in California at 140 pounds.<\/p>\n
When the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships begin on Friday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Christian will attempt to become the fifth San Ramon Valley wrestler to win a state title, and first since Mike Kopp won the 175-pound title in 1987. Bill Ramos won two statetitles (1982-83) and Joe Pangelinan (1983) and Stephen Pacheco (1984) won one apiece for the Wolves.<\/p>\n
Wayne Christian of Fremont was an accomplished wrestler in the late 1970s and later wrestled for Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo coach Vaughan Hitchcock.<\/p>\n
After starting a family
with his wife, Helen, Wayne pretty much forgot about wrestling and really didn’t care to introduce the grueling sport to David.<\/p>\n
“I had sworn that my son would never wrestle, “Wayne Christian said. “It was way too hard. I wanted him to go out for something like track or football, and not have to bust his butt every single day.”<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, David Christian eventually caught the wrestling bug in sixth grade. A natural, Christian placed second in the first freestyle tournament he entered.<\/p>\n
“I felt good about that, “Christian said. “And I just kept wrestling.”<\/p>\n
Christian has always had a good workout partner. When he began wrestling, he worked out with Jason Welch, then a third-grader,
and the two have been practicing together ever since. Welch, now 145 pounds, recently became only the third freshman to win a North Coast Section title.<\/p>\n
“We work out as much as possible, “Christian said. “Any extra time we have, we try work out. Without him, I would not be even close to where I am.”<\/p>\n
Where Christian is now is at the pinnacle of his high school career ” the state meet. He already has sixth- and eighth-place medals at state, but he wants more this time.<\/p>\n
“I have been thinking about it since I (attended the state meet) in the seventh grade, “Christian said.<\/p>\n
He remembers the excitement of the finals and the sold-out crowd fixed on the spotlighted center mat. He remembers
the emotions of the winning wrestlers.<\/p>\n
“I just wanted to be there, “Christian said. “And now is my chance to do that.”<\/p>\n
Though he is the top dog in his weight class, Christian knows a state championship won’t come easy.<\/p>\n
“I am not overlooking anybody, “Christian, who owns a 44-3 record and will attend Cal Poly-SLO on scholarship, said. “I’ve learned that is something you can’t do in wrestling. If you are not on, then you can get beat.”<\/p>\n
One who has beaten Christian this year is Bakersfield junior Brett Land. If both win their first three matches, they’ll wrestle for the fourth time this season.<\/p>\n
Land beat Christian at the Reno TOC, an event in which Christian suffered all three of his
defeats. However, Christian has beaten Land twice since then.<\/p>\n
As the state meet got closer, Christian’s focus sharpened on the task at hand. He admitted he has been somewhat of a recluse the past three weeks, but hopes his friends understand.<\/p>\n
“I have fun, but I might forget that in 10 years, “Christian said. “The state championship is something that will never leave you.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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