Eagles face tough decisions with both Mark and Luke Garcia at 112 pounds | Wrestling

Any coach would be excited to have a state-placing wrestler return to the team for another go around. So what does that make Lindbergh coach Joe Popich, who has three? “I can’t even explain how happy I was with how they did last year,” Popich said. “Now we have a strong returning team that’s still very young.”

By Adam McFadden • January 20, 2010 4:56 pm
Lindbergh’s Luke Garcia wrestles against Renton at a double dual match Dec. 17 at Hazen High School.
Lindbergh’s Luke Garcia wrestles against Renton at a double dual match Dec. 17 at Hazen High School.

Any coach would be excited to have a state-placing wrestler return to the team for another go around.

So what does that make Lindbergh coach Joe Popich, who has three?

“I can’t even explain how happy I was with how they did last year,” Popich said. “Now we have a strong returning team that’s still very young.”

Not only do the Eagles have the three big returners, but all three are underclassmen.

Junior Isiah Corwin comes back after a fifth-place finish at 152 pounds at the state match.

Sophomore twin brothers Mark and Luke Garcia also placed. For Mark, it was sixth in 103 pounds. For Luke, it was eighth at 112.

Corwin is wrestling at 160 pounds this season, and Popich expects him to return to state. Washington Wrestling Report currently ranks him as the state’s third-best 3A wrestler at 160 pounds.

The Garcia brothers present Popich with his biggest challenge as the two both weigh 112 pounds. While they can make it through the dual-match season with one of them bumping up to 119 pounds to wrestle, both would have the best chance of advancing in the postseason at 112 pounds.

“I still don’t know what I’m going to do,” Popich said. “You don’t want them to knock each other off at regionals. I guess if they knock each other off at state, that’s OK.”

The two may give Popich fits about filling out a roster, but their similar size is part of what makes them so good.

“It definitely helps them practice,” Popich said. “It’s probably why they’re so competitive, because they’re constantly battling. Here and probably at home.”

Two other standouts to watch are juniors Robert McCulloch and Jeremy Kane.

Popich said dual-meet success in the Seamount is far less important to him than advancing wrestlers to state. The Eagles have a small team (16) and forfeit a number of weight classes each match.

“I don’t care about the Seamount title. I can’t even fill a roster,” Popich said. “But I’m happy with what I’ve got. I’d rather take a small team with 16 guys wanting to be out here than a roster with 60 just going through the motions.”