Hesperia wrestling coach isn’t much of a football fan ...

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... Or so he claims, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, of course.

‘To tell you the truth, I’m kind of sick of football right now,’ laughed Coach David Stidham, who will be missing two of his starters -- 171-pounder Dominick Reyes (a safety and wide receiver) and Ricky Howard (a tight end and defensive lineman) at 215 -- at this weekend’s prestigious Five Counties wrestling tournament at Fountain Valley because of their participation in the Navy Marine Corps All-Star Classic football game at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday.

‘Actually,’ Stidham added, ‘I’m really proud of Dominick and Ricky Howard.’

Stidham, whose team is ranked fourth in the Southern Section, said he had a number of wrestlers nicked up after Hesperia’s football season. But the coach thinks that is finally starting to change. During Hesperia’s huge dual meet victory over No. 6 Sultana, Reyes defeated David Moore, 7-3, avenging an 8-7 loss in the finals of the El Dorado Invitational in Reyes’ first week back after football season.

With the contest already decided against Sultana, Stidham decided to forfeit Howard’s match to allow the wrestler more of a chance to heal from football-related bumps and bruises. But the coach feels the wrestler should be ready for the late-season stretch.

Cody Montez, Hesperia’s starter at 145, was out with the flu against Sultana and is not expected to wrestle this weekend either. But the Scorpions will have some of the Southern Section’s top-ranked wrestlers on hand, including second-ranked Daniel Gudino at 130, second-ranked Andrew Collins at 135, eighth-ranked Eric Lopez at 140 and Dominick’s brother Danny Reyes, ranked fourth at 189. Dominick Reyes should be the only ranked starter (No. 9) missing from the lineup.

-- Chuck Schilken, guest blogger

-- Image from http://www.cafepress.com/simplehatred.15082756