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A SECTION ON THE RISE S INCE THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THE STATE TOURNAMENT HELD AT CAL STATE-HAYWARD IN 1973, the Golden State has produced many collegiate and Olympic champions. Wrestlers like Dave and Mark Schultz, Adam and Dan Cuesta, the Kistler brothers, John Azevedo, Russ Camilleri and Joe "Gonzo" Gonzales have stepped on the mats of the California state tournament and international tournaments with tremendous success. The Golden State has more than 700 schools that provide wrestling to students, divided into 10 sections that send wrestlers to state to make a 40-man bracket. The top eight wrestlers in each weight class are recognized as All- State by the California Interscholastic Federation, or CIF as it's known around the state. The section that has started making waves around the state this year is the Los Angeles City Section. The section has over 130 schools, of which 24 sponsor wrestling, three times more than in 1997 when only seven schools had a wrestling program. The LA City Section hasn't always been as successful as it is right now. Since 1973, the section has only produced 10 wrestlers who became state medalists: Tony Cooper (Gardena High), Ben Zuniga (Franklin High), Jonas Robledo (San Fernando High), Greg McMurray (El Camino Real High), Jose Barahona (Canoga Park High), Willy German (San Fernando High), Vlad Kochiev (Birmingham High), Raphael Reynolds (San Fernando High), Miguel Gallegos (San Fernando High), and Ali Naser (El Camino Real High). Even though some of the schools that provide wrestling in this section are located in urban neighborhoods in Los Angeles and San Fernando Counties, many coaches have stuck to this sport and have become role models and father figures to some of the wrestlers. Coaches who started wrestling programs in the section and are responsible for the growth and interest in this sport are Bob Hammond (Chatsworth), Mike Young (Franklin High), Frank O'Connor (Bell High), Tom Jones (James Monroe), Terry Fischer (El Camino Real), Bill Lake (Granada Hills), Mike Castillo (San Fernando), Fernando Gonzales (San Fernando High) and the Legendary San Fernando coach Sam De John. BY PABLO DIMARIA High School Correspondent LATINO WRESTLING EXPERIENCE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM | 5 GOLDEN STATE ROOTS