Wilson Seniors Convey Fond Memories of Past

There’s a tradition for the seniors who play football at Los Angeles Wilson. Before each season, they have to stand before their teammates and speak about what it means to put Mule emblems on their helmets.

Quarterback Chris Patino has been attending Wilson games since he was 4. For years, he wondered what he’d say when he finally reached his senior season. In the end, in an emotional address, he chose to honor players from the past as well as those in the future.

“Whomever wears a horseshoe has to give everything they got every second of every play until the clock hits zero,” he said.

Abraham Venegas, one of Patino’s best friends and his top receiver, also gave a speech.

He had started as a basketball player until joining the football team as a sophomore. Feeling the adrenaline rush from Friday night games, hearing the crowd roar and seeing more than 40 relatives cheering from the bleachers convinced Venegas that football was “like nothing I’ve felt before.”

He told his teammates that being a Mule meant they were “family,” and their mission was to uphold the “greatness” of the past.

In Los Angeles, a sprawling city of 3.8 million, it’s always a breath of fresh air to experience a genuine moment of small-town America, and that’s what happens when playing football at Wilson.

These are real neighborhood teenagers supported by loyal fans, many of whom have been attending games since the 1970s, when Wilson won four consecutive City 3-A championships.

The Mules’ coach, Eddie Martinez, graduated from Wilson in 1978 and has two sons in the program. Patino’s father, Ruben, is a 1976 Wilson graduate and former defensive coordinator. The standout receiver on three City championship teams, Steve Martinez, has a freshman son in the program. Seven of Venegas’ aunts and uncles and an older brother graduated from Wilson.

It’s as if there’s a baby boom going on among former Wilson students and athletes, and they’re sending their kids back to their alma mater.

“It’s about time,” Eddie Martinez said.

The modern history of Wilson football revolves around quarterback Ron Cuccia, who was the City 3-A player of the year in 1975, ’76 and ’77 when he played for his father, Vic.

Cuccia led Wilson to 39 consecutive victories, three City 3-A titles and set national records for passing with 8,804 yards, total offense with 11,232 yards and touchdown passes with 91

“He’s a legend,” Venegas said.

Living up to Cuccia’s standards has been the goal of every Wilson quarterback since.

Patino is a worthy successor because he fears no one and trusts his own instincts. At 5 feet 11, Patino passed for 2,908 yards and 21 touchdowns as a junior and has helped Wilson to a 3-0 start this season, including a 449-yard passing performance against Sun Valley Poly.

Patino hasn’t cut his shaggy black hair in seven months, which explains why his teammates call him “Sunshine,” the nickname for the free-spirited, long-haired quarterback from the 2000 movie, “Remember the Titans.”

“I decided to grow it out and be different,” Patino said.

Venegas, who caught 73 passes last season and stands 6-2, has closely cut hair and wears earrings in both ears. He and Patino look as different as night and day, but their bond and friendship are real.

“He’s cool to hang out with, is a good friend and is honest,” Patino said.

Added Venegas: “I like the way we can talk to each other about anything on and off the field.”

They attend the law magnet program at Wilson, which requires them to maintain good grades and good citizenship. They make the right choices because that’s the way they were taught.

“It’s how your parents brought you up,” Venegas said.

On the football field, Patino is a quarterback who’s focused and decisive.

“He’s very competitive and his poise is phenomenal,” Martinez said.

A strong receiver group, led by Venegas, has enabled the Mules to put together a spread passing attack that can be among the most productive in the City Section.

“As a coach, when you call a play and know it’s going to be a completed pass or a big play, it’s a confidence builder for the team,” Martinez said.

The players know that few are going to pick them to beat City title contenders Carson, Dorsey, Venice, Woodland Hills Taft or Lake Balboa Birmingham, but that only strengthens their underdog mentality.

“When we hear that, it makes us better,” Venegas said.

If high school sports is about gaining friends for life and making the community proud, then something special is happening on Friday nights at Wilson.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.