Part I: The Foundation Era (1969–1979)

By Pablo Di Maria

Every legendary dynasty has a humble origin story—a spark where grit, sweat, and determination begin to forge a powerhouse. For the Selma High School wrestling program, that story began in the late 1960s and 1970s. This first installment of our multi-part historical archive chronicles the foundational decade of Selma wrestling, tracing the program’s path from its early tournament hosting days through the close of the 1970s.

1969–1970: Planting the Seeds of a Dynasty

The foundation was laid when Selma High hosted the 1969 Central Section Small School Division tournament, finishing in 15th place with Tony Sousa capturing 4th place at 138 pounds.

That experience served as the catalyst for a breakout season in 1970. Under the guidance of head coach Dick Ravalin, Selma High captured its very first Sierra-Sequoia Division title, scoring 69 points. The breakthrough was highlighted by Tom Otomo, who claimed the division crown at 95 pounds. Selma sent an impressive five grapplers to the division finals:

• Joe Munoz (127 lbs) – 2nd place
• Mike Quintana (133 lbs) – 2nd place
• Nick Quintana (152 lbs) – 2nd place (Note: Nick Quintana would later return to build a legendary legacy as Selma High’s head coach)
• Sythel Thompson (165 lbs) – 2nd place
• Pat Gross (191 lbs) – 3rd place

Carrying that momentum into the Central Section tournament, Selma placed 6th overall. Individual standouts included Otomo (5th), Munoz (5th), Nick Quintana (6th), Thompson (3rd), and Mike Quintana, who finished 2nd to become the first Selma High grappler to reach a section final.

1971–1972: Rising Stars and Section Pioneers

In 1971, Selma finished a narrow 2nd in the division tournament behind Washington Union (70–65 points). Tom Otomo made history as Selma’s first back-to-back division champion, joined atop the podium by Sythel Thompson, who pinned his opponent at 165 pounds. Joe Munoz (2nd), Pat Gross (2nd at heavyweight), and Mike Quintana (3rd) rounded out a stellar tournament. At the subsequent Central Section tournament, Selma placed 5th ahead of Washington Union. To cap off the postseason, Sythel Thompson captured Selma’s first-ever CIF Central Section title.

The 1972 season brought a shift to the rugged Yosemite Division, where Selma placed 13th as a team. Sythel Thompson made program history again, winning the Yosemite Division at 175 pounds to become Selma’s second back-to-back divisional champion and the first to win titles in both the Sierra-Sequoia and Yosemite divisions. Mike Quintana placed 3rd to become a three-time division placer, while Henry Pereschica took 6th at 103 pounds. At the section tournament, Selma placed 9th, anchored by Mike Quintana’s runner-up finish and Thompson’s historic second consecutive section title.

1973–1976: Entering the State Era and Breaking Through

The landscape of California high school wrestling shifted permanently in 1973 with the inception of the prestigious CIF State Tournament. Competing once more in the Yosemite Division, Henry Pereschica carried the torch by placing 5th at 103 pounds, repeating that 5th-place finish at the section level. At the time, only the top three placers per weight class advanced to state.

In 1974, back in the Sierra-Sequoia Division, Selma placed 11th, anchored by the Pereschica siblings: Romero (2nd at 95 lbs) and Henry (2nd at 112 lbs). Both carried their success to sections, with Romero placing 6th and Henry 5th.

The team climbed back into title contention in 1975, finishing 2nd behind Chowchilla High. Romero Pereschica won the 95-pound division title, Jesse Capata took 2nd at 112 pounds, Sylex Kasparian finished 2nd at 175 pounds, and Henry Pereschica placed 4th—making history as the first Selma wrestler to place in the division tournament in all four years of his high school career. Romero and Sylex both secured 4th-place finishes at sections, narrowly missing a historic bid to the state tournament.

The breakthrough to the state stage finally arrived in 1976. Selma placed 6th in the division tournament behind a division title from Romero Pereschica, a 3rd-place finish from Raiff Lopez (127 lbs), and an authoritative division title by Alan Kasparian (175 lbs). At the section tournament, Selma finished 10th as a team. Romero Pereschica took 3rd to become Selma’s first-ever state tournament qualifier, while Alan Kasparian captured the section title to join him. At the California State Championship, Pereschica etched his name in immortality by placing 4th, becoming the program’s very first state medalist.

1977–1979: Rebuilding and Resilience

Every storied program faces adversity. The 1977 season proved challenging as Selma placed 17th in the Sierra-Sequoia division, missing out on division place winners for the first time since 1969.

However, resilience defined the Bears. In 1978, Selma rebounded to 9th place in the division standings, led by Jesse Quintana (4th at 103 lbs), John Albidrez (2nd at 120 lbs), and David Flagher (3rd at 175 lbs).

The decade closed out in 1979 with a 10th-place division finish. Jesse Quintana claimed the 103-pound division title, John Albidrez took 2nd at 127 pounds, and Albidrez carried that fire to sections with a 4th-place medal.

This concludes Part I of our multi-part history of Selma High Wrestling. Stay tuned for Part II as we follow the program into the 1980s and beyond, watching the “Little Engine” grow into a heavyweight contender.