Hoover wrestling is young again
Throughout the brief history of the Hoover High wrestling program, the squad has been described as fledgling, green and several other similar adjectives referring to the program’s relative youth.
This season, however, those descriptions are apt for the actual squad as the Tornadoes are their youngest and most inexperienced since the school instituted the sport seven years prior.
Coach Dave Beard has only two seniors and four wrestlers with a significant amount of experience on his squad of 25.
“We’re really young and we’re kind of restarting again,” Beard said. “We have two senior leaders and a bunch of young guys working hard and learning.”
Last season, the Tornadoes had mixed success within the Rio Hondo League.
The squad finished second for a second consecutive season as it defeated then-reigning four-time champion San Marino for the first time in program history.
Unfortunately for the Tornadoes, that victory did not lead to the program’s first league crown as La Cañada defeated Hoover, 39-30, to win the Spartans’ first league title in five years.
In an interesting twist, Beard chose not to file for an at-large berth, one the program would have likely received, to the CIF Southern Section Western Division Dual Meet Championships.
At the individual league finals at Monrovia High, Hoover advanced a qualifier in nine of 16 weight classes to the Inland Division Championships.
Hoover also won two league titles with one of those titlists – senior Azad Markosian – back.
The heavyweight fell in the league championship his sophomore year and was looking forward to an area showdown with La Cañada’s David Vardanian last season before Vardanian injury defaulted.
From there, Markosian finished 0-2 in the Inland Division Championships.
“The goal is Masters, you know,” said Markosian, a lineman on the football team and thrower in track and field. “Last year I had a bit of a shoulder injury so it was kind of a rough ending to the season, but this year I have high hopes.”
Likely the team’s most talented wrestler, 160-pounder Allen Melikyan had a bumpy year last season as he was upset by La Cañada’s Ben Donoho, 9-2, in the league finals. A month earlier, Melikyan pinned Donoho during a league match and entered the league tournament as the No. 1 seed.
Melikyan turned in Hoover’s best showing at the Inland Division tournament as he posted a 4-3 record, but lost in the fifth-place bout, the final match to earn an automatic bid to the CIF Masters Meet.
The setback has served as motivation for the senior, who realizes this year’s expectations include more than just personal accolades.
“It’s surreal because when I started four years ago, I saw the seniors and just thought they were so big, athletic and good and I wondered if I would ever reach that level,” Melikyan said. “It’s weird now because I’m at the level and I never expected that.
“I want to be a positive influence on the younger guys. I know what I’m capable of and I know that hard work will get me to where I want to go.”
Beard is also looking for big things from the twin brother sophomore duo of Donovan and Dakarri Malone.
Last season, Dakarri Malone finished runner-up in league at 106 pounds and ended 0-2 at the Inland Division Championships.
Dakarri and Donovan Malone will wrestle this season between 113 and 126 pounds.
