City Folk Seek Widespread Respect : Pair From Canoga Park Offer Section’s Best Hope in State Wrestling Finals

Jose Barahona and Hadi Jubrail, natives of El Salvador and Syria, are a match made in, well, the wrestling room at Canoga Park High.

That’s where they met. And where they still meet every weekday afternoon for practice.

Today, however, they will meet in Stockton. Barahona (135 pounds) and Jubrail (171) will compete in the state wrestling championships at the University of Pacific’s Spanos Center.

Barahona, who excelled in football before learning to wrestle, and Jubrail, who discovered wrestling through martial arts, appear quite different on the surface. But on the mat, they are virtual mirror images of each other.

Both are seniors and City Section champions. Both have 40-1 records--Barahona with 36 pins, Jubrail with 35. Both were defeated, 5-2, in their only loss. Both have competed in the state finals before.

And both know they’re in deep.

“It will be tough,” Barahona said. “I’ve been up there twice and I haven’t won anything. I’ve got to wrestle my heart out.”

Ascending to City supremacy is one thing. Standing out in Stockton is quite another.

Never in the 24-year history of the state finals has a City representative come within grasping distance of a championship. In 1988, Greg McMurray of El Camino Real placed fifth at 112 pounds, the best finish of any City wrestler. Only two other City champions have placed as high as sixth at the state meet.

The poor showings can be attributed in part to competition--or lack thereof. Only 10 City schools field wrestling teams compared to 232 Southern Section schools. Hence, the road to a section championship is more easily traversed for City competitors.

The state meet traditionally features intense competition among the best 416 wrestlers from San Diego to Eureka. In some years, City champions have gone belly up faster than an underfed goldfish.

Even worse, their reputations often precede them.

“Every time someone sees you they think, ‘Oh, he’s just a City guy. I’ve got him beat,’ ” Barahona said. “It’s time I go up there and do something.”

Jubrail, a self-described madman on the mat, is even more determined.

“First of all, I’m proud to be a City champion,” Jubrail said. “I’m not embarrassed. I don’t think anyone can judge me because I’m from the City. They have to see me wrestle.”

That can be worth the price of admission. At last week’s City finals, Jubrail pinned Jarred Gabin of Granada Hills in 26 seconds to claim his second consecutive City title and earn most-valuable-wrestler honors.

Barahona, who pinned James Lyles of Granada Hills in 4 minutes 48 seconds to claim his third consecutive City title, has been equally dominant. Three weeks ago, Barahona pinned Guillermo Melendez of Bell in 59 seconds as the Hunters won the inaugural City dual meet championship.

City champions come and go. And Canoga Park Coach Rudy Lugo has led 30 to the state finals in his 23-year tenure. They have won only a combined seven matches.

But Barahona and Jubrail--each 1-2 at the state meet last season--might be the City’s best hope in years.

“Jose and Hadi have a chance because they’ve both been there,” Lugo said.

“They’re not going to be awestruck just by walking in there. Their goal at the beginning of the season was not just to become City champions but to attain some sort of distinction at the state level.”

Barahona and Jubrail both won their first match last season, then were eliminated with two consecutive losses. Five victories are required to place among the top six and earn a medal. Two losses and you’re out.

“I don’t really care what other people think of me,” Jubrail said. “I just want to go out and prove myself.”

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Getting a Grip

Listed are the area wrestlers who will compete today and Saturday in the state wrestling finals at the University of the Pacific in Stockton.

Name School Year Record 103 pounds Yogi Gonzalez Monroe Fr. 26-8 112 Alonzo Campos Chatsworth Sr. 28-1 Juan Roman Channel Islands Jr. 44-6 119 James Castaneda Alemany Sr. 54-2 Freddy Robles San Fernando Jr. 24-16 125 Jesse Bautista Rio Mesa So. 41-10 130 Alfonso Brizuela Monroe Jr. 36-1 135 Jose Barahona Canoga Park Sr. 18-8 Randy Legaspi Rio Mesa Sr. 37-14 140 Bob Adair Westlake Sr. 34-7 145 Adrian Abarca Canoga Park Sr. 18-8 Gabe Roman Oxnard Sr. 41-1 Devin Benjamin Littlerock Sr. 46-4 152 Tim Imada Granada Hills Jr. 29-2 Tom Nelford Rio Mesa Sr. 56-6 160 William Jackson Monroe Jr. 35-3 Lawrence Johnson Antelope Valley Jr. 54-2 171 Hadi Jubrail Canoga Park Sr. 40-1 Josh Legere Westlake Sr. 41-2 Kevin Wright Highland Sr. 61-8 189 Justin Klein Simi Valley Sr. 30-12 Melkon Melkonian Granada Hills So. 29-4 Hwt Jeff Macrea El Camino Real Jr 33-11