A KEY MATCH CRESPI WRESTLER ESPINOSA'S ARRIVAL SPARKS TEAMMATE FERNANDEZ.

Byline: IVAN OROZCO Staff Writer

ENCINO - Gary Espinosa doesn't take much credit for it.

The Crespi High of Encino wrestler helped spark a change in teammate Gustavo Fernandez's career, but Espinosa insists he hasn't done more than compete since his arrival a year ago.

Espinosa, a 130-pounder, reached the CIF Central Division finals last season as a freshman, beating upperclassmen on his way to placing sixth in his weight category and falling one spot short of reaching the Masters Meet.

Fernandez, then a junior, took notice of the Celts' newcomer -- and his game.

Espinosa is a seasoned wrestler. He began to practice the sport at the San Fernando Boys' and Girls' Club while he was in elementaryschool.

``I guess some of the things I do, he doesn't know,'' Espinosa said about Fernandez. ``When he's watching my matches, he wonders how I did (a move). So when we come back to practice he'll ask me and I'll show him how to do the move. It helped him in a couple competitions.''

Fernandez took some of Espinosa's moves into last week's Upland Tournament, where he reached the semifinals undefeated before placing fifth in the 135-pound bracket. In twoof Fernandez's matches, he successfully used a pin maneuver Espinosa taught him.

Fernandez will try to continue his winning ways this weekend at the Ontario Tournament.

``Gary (Espinosa) took me under his wing,'' Fernandez said. ``He got me going. He really showed me some new things. We're really close. I can see a bigger change in him and me. Him coming to this school was a big thing for me. At first, he was quiet. Then I saw him wrestle, and then I knew he was good.''

Espinosa's advice has not only aided Fernandez on the mat, but also helped him make a decision about the sport.

Fernandez began to doubt if wrestling was for him. He and teammates spend more than 20hours per week training. The Celts practice under the football bleachers in a room with a slanted ceiling, smaller than a classroom with limited ventilation. Training in the room, which coach Mike Odman calls ``the sweat box,'' didn't translate into successful freshman and sophomore seasons for Fernandez.

``I wasn't really getting anywhere,'' Fernandez said. ``I wasn't winning as many matches as I thought I should be. I was getting really frustrated. There were times where I thought, `Is the sport for me?' I didn't know where it was taking me.''

Fernandez broke through last year after Espinosa's arrival, winning the 140-pound Mission League title.

``I can see it now,'' Fernandez said. ``I know what to do. It's all coming together. I can feel my way through matches knowing what to do.

``In the past I used to let people get into my legs. People were shooting on me and they'd take me down. I didn't know how to stop it.

``This year I can stop it and get points from it.''

Espinosa, whom Odman coached at the Boys' and Girls' club, also had a tough time last season.

The former freestyle wrestler had trouble adjusting to high school wrestling rules, and still is developing some technique. He carried over the habit of locking hands (not legal in high school) and tried to obtain points by rolling over his opponents.

``He's made a couple tactical errors so far,'' Odman said. ``I'm glad in a weird way that he hasn't won (at CIF) because winning right now would validate his methods. I've been telling him he doesn't have enough wrestling his way. He's not there yet, but he will be there soon.''

Odman said he expects Espinosa to challenge for the CIF title, reach the Masters Meet and flirt with qualifying for state. Odman also said he expects Fernandez to continue to grow, win the league title and medal in CIF.

``Gary (Espinosa) clearly has had an influence on Gustavo (Fernandez),'' Odman said. ``That makes our future look bright. I wasn't thinking in a million years that one of the crown jewels would come to Crespi. (Espinosa) decided to come to Crespi and he hit the ground running.''

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(color) Crespi High wrestler Gustavo Fernandez, left, says teammate Gary Espinosa has taken him under his wing and helped him with new moves.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer