For the entire season, both athletes have handled their opponents, raising the confidence level of their teammates. The two will be heading into the state championships, which will be held this weekend at Santa Rosa Junior College.
The individual paths that these two wrestlers have taken to reach their success at BC have involved others, including teammates, some close personal friends and family members.
Clark’s career at BC originally started in 1995-96. After graduating from Bakersfield High School, he had a tough decision to make because California community colleges have football and wrestling competing at the same time during the year.
“When I came out of high school, I had to choose,” said Clark, who has known BC wrestling head coach Bill Kalivas for years. “I chose football at that point.”
Clark, 24, has been wrestling since he was 9 years old. He credits his late uncle, Jason Scroggins, four years his elder, for helping him develop a liking for wrestling at an early age.
“I followed him to practice one day and my mom and dad raised him,” he said of his uncle, who was also a BHS graduate. “I was like a little brother.”
It’s hard to imagine Clark as a “little” anything. So far this season, the heavyweight has compiled an outstanding record that includes zero defeats.
“He started wrestling before me,” said the 19-year-old Moreno, who is an undeclared major. “He would always come home and beat me up.” Moreno’s mother and father gave him some good advice that parents often give a younger sibling who is in the position of having to compete with an older brother.
“If you want to hang with him, you better go and see what he is doing,” said Moreno. “So one day in the summer, I went to freestyle wrestling practice with him and ever since then I stuck with it.”
During the South Regional tournament at Moorpark College on Nov. 17, both Clark and Moreno won individual championships.
Moreno was named South Regional Wrestler of the year after defeating Anthony Rodriguez of Cerritos College.
Clark, who has already received his college degree in history from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. defeated Chase Gormeley from Golden West to win the heavyweight title.
He is actually at BC enjoying his off-season from playing professional football for the Arena Football League’s Los Angeles Avengers
“This is my off-season, and I’m just out here having fun and just relaxing,” said Clark after BC’s final home dual meet against Cuesta College.
“I feel pretty good. I still have to work on things. I can’t slack off because there’s a lot of guys out there that still want to beat me.”
The success of the wrestling team is what both wrestlers are most proud of. The team finished the Western State Conference season with a 5-1 record, good for second place.
BC will have six wrestlers competing in the state tournament. Joining Clark and Moreno are Steve Elisondo (141), Todd Guevara (149), Fred Gutierrez (157) and Karras Kalivas (165).
“Everyone just has to stay focused. Basically it’s just a mental thing,” said Moreno about going into the state tournament.
“Everyone sticks together and can stay focused as one, we should be all right. If we have certain guys win big matches at the state tournament, we might have a chance.”