WRESTLING: MAKING THE RIGHT MOVE DETERMINATION PAYS OFF FOR EL CAMINO REAL'S MUNOZ ON THE MAT.Byline: IVAN OROZCO Staff Writer Steve Munoz had enough. Like most young wrestlers See
The El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Boys & Girls club Girls Club is a 2002 American television series created by David E. Kelley, who was also it's producer and executive producer. Only two out of a total of thirteen episodes created were broadcast on Fox Television in the United States and Global Television in Canada. . He was pinned by almost every opponent. Sometimes smaller wrestlers pressed Munoz's shoulders to the mat. The struggles continued when Munoz began to wrestle for the Conquistadors See also
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``It was a dilemma his freshman year,'' said Ron Munoz, Steve's father. ``He was so disappointed he would leave the mats, go outside and say, `I suck, I'll never be good.' I told him there would be no shame if he wanted to quit.'' But for the younger Munoz, there would be humiliation in walking away from the sport in which his older brother Raymond, 26, won the 140-pound City Section title in 1998 for Canoga Park. Ron Munoz also wrestled for Canoga Park, which had planned to shut down its wrestling program by the time Steve Munoz entered 10th grade. ``It was really bad losing left and right and getting pinned,'' Munoz said. ``I almost quit. But my dad, he was telling me to work hard and I would succeed.'' Munoz stuck with the sport. But it didn't help that he was sometimes overlooked by some of his teammates. The upperclassmen didn't take him seriously. ``He'll probably deny this, but (Munoz) was not embraced like other teammates,'' said Ron Munoz. ``Not the coaches, but other wrestlers who didn't believe in him. They are gone now.'' Also gone are Munoz's losing ways. The pressure of losing more than winning was a blow to the ego of the 5-foot-6 Munoz, who wrestles in the 130-pound category. It was time for a change. The 17-year-old put his failures behind him and turned things around during his sophomore season by upsetting San Fernando's Mike Parra in the City Section championships to clinch the 119-pound title. Munoz then won a second consecutive 119-pound title by beating Chatsworth's Thomas Cotrell last year. But it was the first title that impressed his father the most. ``It was unexpected,'' Ron Munoz said. ``Mike Parra had Steve's number. He had lost to Parra a couple of times before. I knew Steve could beat him, but I thought Parra had him mentally.'' Steve Munoz is 30-10 and is a candidate to win a third City title, but this time at 130 pounds. He put on weight in the offseason by hitting the weight room and working on his technique, which pleased El Camino coach Terry Fischer. ``He's a tenacious te·na·cious adj. 1. Clinging to another object or surface; adhesive. 2. Holding together firmly; cohesive. tenacious viscid; adhesive. kid,'' Fischer said of Munoz. ``A lot of guys have more physical ability than him, but his work ethic work ethic n. A set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. work ethic Noun a belief in the moral value of work and commitment to the sport makes him a fierce wrestler. His perseverance Perseverance See also Determination. Ainsworth redid dictionary manuscript burnt in fire. [Br. Hist.: Brewer Handbook, 752] Call of the Wild, The dogs trail steadfastly through Alaska’s tundra. [Am. Lit. is his strength.'' Munoz displayed some of his stubbornness and determination in his four-overtime loss to Agoura's Dayne Santoro during the Reseda Classic Wrestling Classic Wrestling is a wide series of professional wrestling related classic programming owned by Okerlund Group Inc. and hosted by Gene Okerlund. Shows include The Golden Age of Wrestling: 1950's, Mat Mayhem and Ringside Retribution. tournament. Munoz would not give up despite being suppressed by his opponent. At one point in the 135-pound title match, Santoro had Munoz in the figure four, a maneuver rarely seen in high school wrestling. Munoz didn't give up and reversed Santoro's hold. Santoro is not the only opponent impressed with Munoz's tactics. Crespi of Encino's Gustavo Fernandez wrestled the Conquistadors' standout in the third round of the Reseda tournament, and gained more respect for his opponent after the match. ``He's the real deal,'' Fernandez said. ``He's real strong, a tough competitor. I think he's going to go to state.'' A state title is one of Munoz's goals before leaving El Camino Real and possibly heading north to join Moorpark College's wrestling team next season. The three-year varsity wrestler is not only a team leader as a senior, but is also a part-time coach. Another one of his goals is to leave a mark in the Conquistadors' wrestling program by helping the underclassmen improve and polish their technique. ``He has taught me mental strength,'' said Adam Ali, a 103-pound sophomore wrestler for ECR ECR Efficient Consumer Response ECR European Congress of Radiology ECR Electron Cyclotron Resonance ECR El Camino Real (Kings Highway; California) ECR Electronic Cash Register ECR East Coast Radio (South Africa) . ``Coach (Fischer) teaches me all the technical stuff I need and (Munoz) teaches me the experience I need to be a good wrestler. He was my idol when I first saw him wrestle. He lost twice in City his sophomore year and then came back to win it the next year. ``Steve is 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. . You just can't get enough "Just Can't Get Enough" is the third UK single by Depeche Mode originally released on September 7 1981. It was also the band's first single to be released in the United States, on February 18 1982. of him.'' ivan.orozco@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 ATHLETES OF THE WEEK BOYS Justin Cook Justin Ryan Cook (born April 4, 1982 in Lubbock, Texas) is the line producer for YuYu Hakusho and Fullmetal Alchemist. He is also a voice actor and does the voices of Yusuke Urameshi and Puu in the English version of the YuYu Hakusho , Renaissance Academy Renaissance Arts Academy is an alternative public charter high school of the Los Angeles Unified School District in Los Angeles, California. Curriculum The school Website states: The study method developed by L. Ron Hubbard is the key to effective learning. Mr. , Jr. Basketball Cook scored a game-high 26 points Saturday in Renaissance Academy's 85-51 victory over Skyward sky·ward adv. & adj. At or toward the sky. sky  wards adv. Christian of Tujunga. Cook is the leading scorer for the Wildcats (20-1), winners of 15 consecutive games. GIRLS Kourtney Zilbert, Burroughs, Sr. Basketball Zilbert had 30 points and a school-record 27 rebounds Wednesday in Burroughs of Burbank's 86-55 Pacific League victory over Glendale. It was the third double-double in the past fourgames for Zilbert, who is averaging 16 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season. UP & COMER Monica Jackson, Sylmar, Fr. Girls' basketball Jackson scored 28 points Friday to lead Sylmar to a 61-55 Valley Mission League victory over Monroe of North Hills. The 5-foot-6 guard has scored more than 20 points nine times in 17 games this season, while her 21.3 points per game leads all local freshman. TRIVIAL MATTERS Oaks Christian of Westlake Village girls' basketball standout Michelle Clark made four 3-pointers Thursday in a 63-32 Tri-Valley League victory over Nordhoff of Ojai. A four-year varsity starter for the Lions, Clark is third all-time in the area with 213 career 3-pointers. The local products ahead of Clark? Hart of Newhall's Taylor Lilley made 275 3-pointers from 2003-06, while Amirah Leonard made 222 for Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest. of La Crescenta from 1993-96. CAPTION(S): 3 photos, 6 boxes Photo: (1) El Camino Real wrestler Steve Munoz struggled early in his wrestling career. This year he is trying for his third City title. Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer (2) Justin Cook (3) Koutney Zilbert Box: (1) ATHLETES OF THE WEEK (see text) (2) UP & COMER (see text) (3) TRIVIAL MATTERS (see text) (4) THEY SAID IT (5) DAY PLANNER (6) OTHER TOP PERFORMERS |
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