Cooper Works Hard to Become the Best : Wrestling: Canyon star has come a long way since he started to compete.

As a junior, Zach Cooper of Canyon High School went 48-0 and won the state championship in the 191-pound weight division.

He vividly remembers the emotional final seconds of the championship match before 6,000 fans at the University of the Pacific’s Spanos Center.

Cooper recalls falling behind in those nerve-wracking final moments, only to gain a reversal with four precious seconds left and win the match, 6-5, completing an unbeaten season.

As a senior, Cooper again finished 48-0. He won the state championship in the 191-pound weight division again.

Again, it was an emotionally draining experience. But not quite the same as the previous season.

“There was a lot of pressure,” Cooper said. “I was so nervous. I was telling myself, ‘It’s just another match. It’s just another match.’ By the end, I wasn’t that excited. It didn’t hit until later that I had won state for a second time.”

Cooper’s undefeated record and state championship have earned him The Times’ All-Orange County wrestler of the year honors.

It is, as Cooper says, a satisfying, gratifying end to his high school wrestling career. He is a living, breathing testimonial to hard work.

As a seventh-grade novice and later as a freshman at Canyon, Cooper worked hard to measure up. Early on, there was little evidence that Cooper would become a state champion.

He was 3-3 as a freshman, placing third out of five at the Century League championship meet. “So I was exactly average,” he said.

As a sophomore, a fast-improving Cooper wrestled at the Southern Section 4-A finals.

“Practice and consistency,” Cooper said were his secrets.

His will to win never failed him in his final two seasons. His senior season was particularly impressive.

“He didn’t give up a single takedown, reversal or near fall,” said Gary Bowden, his coach. “He gave up only 20 points, all on escapes.”

Now, a weekend in Pittsburgh, April 7-8, at the first national high school wrestling tournament awaits Cooper. A college career also looms. Cooper, who holds a 4.0 grade-point average, has narrowed his choices to Harvard and Stanford.

“There’s no feeling in the world like working for something for so many years and having it happen like it did for me,” Cooper said.

Also named to The Times’ All-County team were: Josh Kitner and Jason Booth, San Clemente; Don Gunter, Irvine; Brad Belanger and Tony Okada, Savanna; Rod Langenwalter and Josh Gale, Esperanza; Jason Mitchell, Canyon; Rick Monge, Mater Dei; Matt Wilson, Newport Harbor; Dwight Chornomud, Tustin, and Paul Jaramillo, Valencia.

THE TIMES’ 1990 ALL-COUNTY WRESTLING

FIRST TEAM Weight: 105 pounds Name: Don Gunter School: Irvine Year: Sophomore

One of only two sophomores to make the first team, Gunter finished third in the 4-A meet. Weight: 112 pounds Name: Jason Booth School: San Clemente Year: Senior

Booth was a seventh-place finisher at the state meet, after a third-place finish in the 4-A meet. Weight: 119 pounds Name: Brad Belanger School: Savanna Year: Sophomore

Belanger, along with teammate Tony Okada, gives Savanna a bright future. He was a Masters meet qualifier. Weight: 126 pounds Name: Rod Langenwalter School: Esperanza Year: Senior

Langenwalter lost in the 4-A and Masters tournaments, but came on strong to win his third state title. Weight: 132 pounds Name: Tony Okada School: Savanna Year: Junior

Okada ended his season with a victory in the state final to complete a 50-0 season. Weight: 138 pounds Name: Jason Mitchell School: Canyon Year: Junior

Mitchell lost in the fifth-place match at the state meet, after winning the 4-A title. Weight: 145 pounds Name: Rick Monge School: Mater Dei Year: Senior

Monge defeated Mario Gonzales of Schurr, 4-1, to win the state championship. Weight: 154 pounds Name: Josh Gale School: Esperanza Year: Junior

Gale, a running back on the Aztecs’ football team, was third at the 4-A meet. Weight: 165 pounds Name: Matt Wilson School: Newport Harbor Year: Senior

A first-time selection, Wilson was the 3-A runner-up. He was a Masters and state meet qualifier. Weight: 175 pounds Name: Dwight Chornomud School: Tustin Year: Senior

Chornomud qualified for the Masters meet, but lost in the second round. He was the 2-A runner-up. Weight: 191 pounds Name: Zach Cooper School: Canyon Year: Senior

Cooper won the 4-A, Masters and state championships, ending his career with back-to-back 48-0 seasons. Weight: Heavyweight Name: Paul Jaramillo School: Valencia Year: Senior

Jaramillo, a repeat selection on the first team, won the 3-A championship and qualified for the Masters meet.

SECOND TEAM

Weight Name School Year 98 pounds Greg Carrescia Esperanza Junior 105 pounds Danny Wells El Modena Junior 112 pounds Min Park El Modena Senior 119 pounds Tom McCullough Canyon Junior 126 pounds Frank Gagnon Laguna Hills Junior 132 pounds Brian Burgess Edison Senior 138 pounds Sean Kinney El Dorado Senior 145 pounds Sam Holliday Calvary Chapel Senior 154 pounds Brian Hernandez Mater Dei Junior 165 pounds Jose Castillo Valencia Senior 175 pounds Matt Jones El Modena Senior 191 pounds Trevor Cooper Huntington Beach Senior Heavyweight John Mehr Kennedy Senior