Calvary Chapel Falls From Favor

For years, the high school wrestling hierarchy in Southern California has been Santa Ana Calvary Chapel, followed by everyone else.

But this year, without its highly regarded coach, John Azevedo, the Eagles’ reign could end, and most observers point to Villa Park as the team to end it.

Azevedo, who coached Calvary Chapel to seven state titles in the last nine years, has taken a job as an assistant coach at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The Orange County Wrestling Coaches Assn. took the opportunity to vote Calvary Chapel out of the top spot in its poll for the first time in recent memory. Villa Park is ranked No. 1 and Calvary Chapel is No. 2.

Some see the move as legitimate, pointing out that the Eagles lost seven starters from their record-setting state championship team of last year and that Azevedo’s departure signals a program in decline. Others aren’t so sure.

“Until somebody knocks them off, they are the team to beat,” Temecula Valley Coach Arnold Alpert said. “They have to prove they’ve declined.”

Alpert should know. His team has finished second to Calvary Chapel in the Southern Section Division I championships the last two years.

Calvary Chapel has won 10 Southern Section titles in the last 11 years and is one of only four section schools to win a state title. The others are West Covina South Hills in 1981, Placentia El Dorado in ’82 and Victor Valley in ’87. Still, the Eagles are No. 2 in Orange county this year, according to the coaches’ preseason poll.

“We aren’t worried about what we’re ranked at the beginning of the season,” said Calvary Chapel’s new coach, Joey Coughran, a former Eagle wrestler who graduated in 1993. “Personally, I don’t care what we’re ranked. The only thing that matters is where we place at the state meet.”

Villa Park Coach Steve Stewart agrees. He said there isn’t any pressure taking over the top spot in the Orange County poll.

“It’s what you do on the mat that counts,” Stewart said. “I’d much rather be ranked No. 1 at the end of the season. Nobody remembers who was No. 1 in December.”

Calvary Chapel may have lost seven starters from a team that scored a state-record 170 points in the finals last year, but Joe Williams, Mario Estrada and Yuri Kalika, all state qualifiers, are back. Coughran said he also expects another six or seven to qualify for state this year.

“I wouldn’t say we are as good as last year because that was a pretty special team,” Coughran said. “But we’re pretty comparable.”

Villa Park, which has placed in the top five in Southern Section Division I in each of the last three years, is primed for a title run. The Spartans have 10 returning starters, including six who placed in the Southern Section meet--the most of any section school. Two of those, Buck Barger and Nick Diaz, qualified for the state finals.

“Beating Calvary is not a specific goal that we have,” Stewart said. “Our goal is to finish in the top five in the state. If beating Calvary is a part of that, then so be it.”

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THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

A look at the Southland’s top 10 wrestling teams:

1. Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (SS--Olympic)

Seven state titles in nine years, including the last two, mean Eagles are best until someone proves otherwise.

2. Villa Park (SS--Century)

Six Masters qualifiers return for Spartans, who appear ready to challenge Calvary Chapel.

3. Temecula Valley (SS--Southwestern)

Golden Bears have finished in top two of their division for seven consecutive years.

4. Rosemead (SS--Mission Valley)

State qualifier Mike Gomez returns for Panthers, who finished behind only Calvary Chapel and Temecula Valley last year.

5. Covina Northview (SS--Valle Vista)

State qualifiers Sam Sanders and James Clay return for two-time Division II champion.

6. Corona Centennial (SS--Mountain View)

Won Division III individual, dual titles last two seasons, return state qualifier Cory Campbell.

7. Chino Hills Ayala (SS--Sierra)

Seeks first section title after three second-place finishes and a third in last six years.

8. Santa Ana (SS--Golden West)

Hugo Guzman, Fernando Jaimes and Jimmy Becerra are back after placing last season in the Division II finals.

9. Paso Robles (SS--Los Padres)

Division V champion has 10 wrestlers back, including five Masters qualifiers.

10. Arroyo Grande (SS--Northern)

Kirk Davis leads group of 11 starters who return for 2001 Division IV champion.