Lawson Makes It a Perfect Finish : Now It’s on to the Army as Wrestling Career Put on Hold

When Steve Lawson of El Dorado High School thinks back on it, he has his brothers Howard and Scott to thank for the kind of wrestling season he had this year.

Lawson pinned Poway’s Harold Jones in the 194-pound state final to finish the season with a 45-0 record--including 43 pins--as well as individual championships in the State, Southern Section 4-A and Masters meets.

Lawson, The Times’ Wrestler of the Year, credits much of his success to his family lineage. After all, Howard and Scott were state champions at El Dorado.

“I’ve been wrestling since I was 5 years old,” Lawson said. “I started when my brothers were wrestling at the North Orange County YMCA. So, by the time I got to high school, I already had more experience than most of the guys I faced.

“Plus, I’ve been to the state tournament the last six or seven years in a row just watching, so it wasn’t that big of a deal when I got their to wrestle.”

Still, Lawson was excited about winning an individual title and helping El Dorado place second, but he was less distracted by the the tournament’s hoopla than some of the less experienced wrestlers.

Actually, the El Dorado team’s performance was as much the talk of the meet as was team-champion Poway, and Lawson takes great pride in that.

Besides Lawson, Todd Tomaczic (169 pounds) and Kyle Iwanaga (108 pounds) advanced to the state final for El Dorado. Tomaczic won a championship and Iwanaga finished second.

That strong showing helped the Golden Hawks challenge Poway for the team title, but the Titans, with 10 wrestlers in the state tournament and two in the finals, eventually won with 105 points. El Dorado had 80.5.

“Things have kind of died down now, but at the state meet we (El Dorado wrestlers) were all walking on air,” Lawson said.

With his prep career over, Lawson hopes to eventually wrestle in college, but he’s taking a detour--he has joined the Army’s Delayed Entry Program, and will report Aug. 6.

Asked if he was worried about the strenuous regimen of boot camp, Lawson said: “No, I’ll probably laugh (at it).”

Lawson said he is looking forward to the experience and the benefits he will reap during and following his service.

“I figure if I go in the Army first for two years, when I come out I can use the GI Bill to help pay for college,” Lawson said. “I’ll just go to college as a freshman after the Army.”

Lawson’s reasoning for joining the Army instead of going directly to college as most other wrestlers with his potential is largely economic.

“When I found out I qualified for the Army College Fund, well, I just felt that it was too much money to pass up,” he said.

Oklahoma and Iowa, two collegiate wrestling powers, have expressed interest in Lawson, and he said he would consider those schools when he is discharged.

Between now and August, Lawson will keep busy with wrestling, honing his skills in a variety of freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments.

Lawson, who signed to be an administrative specialist with the Army, plans to help recruit other Orange County students to join the service.

Foremost, however, is Lawson’s first assignment--17 weeks in South Carolina, including eight at boot camp. He also has also volunteered for service in West Germany.

First-year military men are often subjected to casual hazing in the services, but woe to whomever might pick a fight with Pvt. Lawson.

There are 45 wrestlers in the state who are willing to testify that Lawson already is quite capable of defending himself.

Steve Lawson

FIRST TEAM

Weight Class Wrestler School 101 Jr. Nicky Cobb Loara 108 Jr. Kyle Iwanaga El Dorado 115 Sr. Ed Regan Sunny Hills 122 Sr. David Torres San Clemente 129 Sr. Ed Ruiz Marina 135 Sr. Dwayne DeNolf Valencia 141 Sr. Jesus Gonzales Santa Ana Valley 148 Sr. David Hynan Capistrano Valley 157 Sr. Dennis Furnish San Clemente 168 Sr. Todd Tomaczic El Dorado 178 Sr. Chris Wright Loara 194 Sr. Steve Lawson El Dorado Hwy. Sr. Randy Gonzalez Rancho Alamitos

SECOND TEAM 101: Mike MacIborski (Capistrano Valley) Jr. 108: Blake Arakaki (Loara) Sr. 115: Dan Tisone (Canyon) Jr. 122: Dennis McCulloch (Canyon) Jr. 129: Jim Sutterfield (Loara) Jr. 135: Bill Furnish (San Clemente) Jr. 141: Art Orozco (Garden Grove) Jr. 148: Mike Warfel (Edison) Sr. 157: Bob Murray (Edison) Sr. 168: Mike Robles (Sonora) Sr. 178: Fred Jenkins (Valencia) Sr. 194: Sean Cleary (El Modena) Sr. Hwy: Trevor Hargrave, (Esperanza) Sr.

The Times’ All-Orange County wrestling team was selected on the basis of the athletes’ placings, first at the State tournament, followed by highest placing in the Southern Section Masters meet, followed by highest placings at individual 4-A, 3-A or 2-A meets, as well as interviews with county coaches.