NEVER TOO LATE TO SHINE ROYAL STAR WRESTLED FROM FOOTBALL.Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News Ryan Reese didn't exactly jump at the opportunity to go out for the wrestling team as an 11th-grader last year at Royal High. Now, the senior heavyweight regrets not having tried the sport earlier. The second-year wrestler finished third in the Southern Section Southern Division individual championships - he was the Highlanders' top placer - and claimed a berth in the Masters Meet, the section's qualifier for the state meet. Reese, who wrestles in the 275-pound division, also helped Royal to the Southern Section Div. V dual-meet title and its fourth Marmonte League The Marmonte League is a high school sports league primarily made up of schools from Ventura County. The Marmonte Leauge is part of the CIF Southern Section. Click here to view the league schedule. title in a row. The Highlanders qualified four wrestlers See
``I never saw myself getting this far,'' Reese said. ``Last year was more of a learning experience. I've learned to apply the technique and become more efficient. I definitely regret not starting as a freshman. I would have probably made it to state.'' Royal coach Paul Mole said he knew he had a talent on his hands when he first spotted Reese, an offensive and defensive lineman for the football team, in his history class in fall 2003. Mole suggested wrestling to Reese, who wasn't immediately won over. ``You hear stories about the wrestling team, and how (Mole) made them run a lot, and everybody was throwing up,'' Reese said. ``I really wanted a break from football.'' Reese finally decided to give wrestling a try after football offensive coordinator An offensive coordinator typically refers to the coach on a football team in the National Football League or College football who is in charge of the offense. This position aids the head coach by designing and scripting plays, delegating work to offensive position coaches during Lance Martin provided a little prodding, suggesting wrestling would be a way to improve stamina for football. Reese had second thoughts after the first week of wrestling practice. ``I kind of knew what to expect, but I was dying after practice,'' Reese said. ``It was not fun. I was feeling better once I got into better shape.'' Reese didn't place in the Marmonte League in the 215-pound division last season. He was hampered by an ankle injury suffered while playing football. The 5-foot-11, 235-pound Reese moved up to the heavyweight class this season to help his team in dual-meet competition. He has excelled despite facing opponents, who are taller and often more than 50 pounds heavier. Reese (42-11) won the Marmonte League title, and he placed second in the Estancia es·tan·cia n. A large estate or cattle ranch in Spanish America. [Spanish, room, enclosure, country estate, from Vulgar Latin *stantia, something standing, from Latin of Costa Mesa Costa Mesa (kŏs`tə mā`sə), city (1990 pop. 96,357), Orange co., S Calif., on the Pacific south of Santa Ana; inc. 1953. It is a transportation, residential, and light industrial center. tournament, third at Newbury Park and seventh in the competitive Morro Bay tournament. ``He's made a 110 percent improvement and a 180-degree turnaround,'' Mole said. ``We figured he might be somewhere among the top five (at the Southern Division meet). We had no idea that he would be our top placer. He has so much potential. He could go somewhere if he learned from a college coach.'' Reese is exploring a career in firefighting 1. firefighting - What sysadmins have to do to correct sudden operational problems. An opposite of hacking. "Been hacking your new newsreader?" "No, a power glitch hosed the network and I spent the whole afternoon fighting fires." 2. . He volunteers several nights a week as a Fire Cadet at Ventura County Fire Station No. 43, where he accompanies fire fighters on calls. At the moment, only football is in Reese's college plans. He will attend Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. next year with intentions of transferring to Cal Lutheran. ``I like wrestling, but I am more of a football player,'' Reese said. Reese acknowledges that his football skills make him an effective wrestler. Reese said that a wrestling crouch is similar to a football stance at the line of scrimmage line of scrimmage n. pl. lines of scrimmage Football Either of two imaginary lines extending across the field parallel to the goal line at the ends of the ball as it rests prior to being snapped and at which each team lines up for , and his ability to keep moving is an advantage. Reese has also learned to channel his energy over the entire three periods this season. ``I am definitely in better shape and healthier,'' Reese said. ``I am wrestling for an entire three periods rather than burning up all my energy in the first two minutes.'' Mole also notices the change in Reese, who hasn't been pinned this season. ``His strength is in his legs,'' Mole said. ``He's explosive off the ground like he's coming off the line.'' It is remarkable that Reese is participating in sports. As a sophomore, Reese suffered a ruptured rup·ture n. 1. a. The process or instance of breaking open or bursting. b. The state of being broken open. 2. A break in friendly relations. 3. Pathology a. kidney and spleen spleen, soft, purplish-red organ that lies under the diaphragm on the left side of the abdominal cavity. The spleen acts as a filter against foreign organisms that infect the bloodstream, and also filters out old red blood cells from the bloodstream and decomposes during a collision while playing on Royal's junior-varsity baseball team. Reese, who said he is functioning on one kidney, still experiences tenderness in the area. ``I am just happy to be using my God-given abilities,'' Reese said. ``Even though wrestling is individual, we support each other. ... It's a team effort. To be a CIF (1) (Common Intermediate Format) A standard video format used in videoconferencing. CIF formats are defined by their resolution, and standards both above and below the original resolution have been established. The original CIF is also known as Full CIF (FCIF). champion and get that ring is definitely amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. . It's a good way to end my senior year.'' CARRYING HIS WEIGHT Name: Ryan Reese. School: Royal. Sport: Wrestling. Height: 5-foot-11. Weight: 235. Reese, an offensive and defensive lineman on the football team and second-year wrestler, was Royal's top finisher - third in the 275-pound division - in the Southern Section Southern Division individual championships to earn a berth in the Masters Meet. CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Despite a preference for football, Ryan Reese has become a top wrestler for Royal High. Michael Owen
Box: CARRYING HIS WEIGHT (see text) |
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