Mom’s Blocking Gave Him Something Else to Tackle

Larry Johnson’s first wrestling match was with his mother--figuratively speaking.

Johnson wanted to play football. His mother forbade him.

Johnson tried out for the Antelope Valley High football team as a sophomore. His mother knew nothing of his actions.

Johnson made the varsity as a defensive end. His mother learned of his exploits only days before the opener.

“She found out and got me cut,” Johnson said. “She was always afraid I’d get a neck injury. All my buddies were on the team. Man, it just killed me.”

The abrupt end of Johnson’s football career left him bitterly disappointed. But it led to the launch of his exceptional career as a wrestler.

Johnson, a 160-pound senior, last month finished his high school career as the most-prolific wrestler in Antelope Valley history, tallying 148 victories, three consecutive Golden League championships and two consecutive Southern Section Division IV titles.

This season ranked as Johnson’s finest. After placing first in the league and in the Southern Section finals, Johnson placed first at the section’s Masters Meet, which pits the best wrestlers from the section’s top four divisions.

As the true Southern Section champion, Johnson entered the State finals in Stockton for the second consecutive season. He won his first two matches to advance to the quarterfinals but was eliminated from medal contention with two consecutive defeats.

Johnson was 54-3 this season with a school-record 300 takedowns.

“Wrestling was just something I thought I would give a shot,” Johnson said. “If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t continue. I didn’t quite know how to wrestle at first. I didn’t know any moves. I didn’t see what there was to like about it.”

Johnson’s exceptional athletic ability made up for a lack of technical knowledge. He learned quickly and determination took care of the rest.

Wrestling wasn’t football. But it was one endeavor Johnson was not about to have taken from him.

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ALL-REGION WRESTLING FIRST TEAM

JUAN ROMAN

Channel Islands

112 pounds

Senior

* Southern Section Division II champion and three-time Marmonte League champion. Qualified for Masters Meet but withdrew because of knee injury.

*

RON PETERSON

Camarillo

119 pounds

Senior

* Marmonte League and Division II champion, placed second at Masters. Finished 47-8 after recording two consecutive victories at State finals.

*

KEITH MAC

Highland

125 pounds

Senior

* Golden League champion for Division IV power Bulldogs. Finished third in section finals with 56-7 record, including 29 pins.

*

JESSE BAUTISTA

Rio Mesa

130 pounds

Junior

* Channel League champion after placing sixth in the state, plagued by injuries this season. Qualified for Masters Meet but withdrew because of rib injury.

*

BEAU TAYLOR

Westlake

135 pounds

Junior

* Marmonte League champion, placed fifth in Division II and fourth at Masters Meet to qualify for State finals. Finished 35-10.

*

ALFONSO BRIZUELA

Monroe

140 pounds

Senior

* Placed first at 145 pounds to claim third consecutive City Section championship with record of 30-4. Advanced to State finals for third time.

*

MIKE BONEBRIGHT

Thousand Oaks

145 pounds

Senior

* Won Division II championship after placing second in Marmonte League. Placed seventh at Masters Meet to advance to State finals.

*

TIM IMADA

Granada Hills

152 pounds

Senior

* Two-time City Section champion with record of 27-4, advanced to State finals for second consecutive season but finished 0-2 in difficult bracket.

*

CRISTOBAL GONZALEZ

Ventura

171 pounds

Sophomore

* Channel League champion and first sophomore in school history to reach State finals, won three of five matches in Stockton to finish 44-13.

*

MIKE CALHOUN

Palmdale

189 pounds

Senior

* Golden League and Division IV champion, placed fourth at Masters to advance to State finals. Finished 61-6 after first-round elimination at State meet.

*

JACOB WAASDORP

Quartz Hill

215 pounds

Junior

* Golden League, Division IV and Masters Meet champion, recorded one victory at State finals before being eliminated. Finished 56-3.

*

ANTHONY VITALE

Alemany

Heavyweight

Senior

* Mission League and Division IV champion, held all opponents scoreless until division finals. Fifth in Southern Section, finished 25-3 after going 3-2 in Stockton.

SECOND TEAM

112: Joe Guardardo, Alemany, Sr. Mission League champion and state qualifier with record of 35-5.

119: Paul Michels, Harvard-Westlake, Sr. Mission League champion, third in Division IV.

125: Rick Peterson, Camarillo, Sr. Marmonte League and Division II champion, record of 35-3.

130: Ryan Montanez, Royal, Sr. Third in Southern Section and state qualifier, record of 49-7.

135: Stuart Young, Highland, So. Golden League champion, record of 55-11, including 33 pins.

140: Weslee Mattison, Quartz Hill, Jr. Golden League champion, record of 54-4.

145: Ron Linares, Harvard-Westlake, Sr. Mission League champion, set school record with 145 takedowns in career.

152: Bryan Doss, Ventura, Sr. Third in Division I, record of 37-9.

160: Rey Torres, Royal, Jr. Marmonte League and Division II champion, record of 50-7.

171: Josh Eisenberg, Harvard-Westlake, Sr. Mission League champion, record of 36-4.

189: Danny Gibbs, Agoura, Sr. Marmonte League champion, record of 33-1.

215: Dan Ramirez, Oxnard, Sr. Channel League champion and state qualifier, record of 38-7.

Heavyweight: Jeff Macrea, El Camino Real, Sr. Two-time City Section champion, record of 35-4.