HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING PREVIEW:With only three wrestlers, Mustangs move on

Alone and in the down position, Rumman Razzak is working his way out of an imaginary wrestling hold.

No other wrestler is on the mat, so Razzak’s learning to develop on his own. In the distance is Costa Mesa High first-year coach Jesse Franco, observing Razzak’s every move.

With only three wrestlers on this year’s team, Franco has the time and energy to work with each one. Sometimes it’s best just to allow them to figure things out on their own.

“We’re working on just the basics,” Franco said Monday. “Nothing more than that because if you don’t have the basics down, you can’t grow into your full potential.”

Making sure that his three wrestlers, Razzak, Cody De La Mater and Ivan Martinez, are motivated each day is Franco’s goal. Some days, only one wrestler shows up for practice. It’s not because of lack of desire, but because of academics.

Franco urges the trio to concentrate on school, something he said attributed to the low turnout, as a handful of wrestlers couldn’t make grades. Twenty wrestlers started out in the program, but the numbers dwindled.

Injuries, ineligibility, missing paperwork from insurance to physicals, and seeing no burning desire in wrestlers factored into Franco’s decision to carry three varsity wrestlers. Two others are competing on the frosh/soph and junior varsity levels.

“Two on varsity would probably be better served on the lower levels,” Franco said, “but their dedication, heart, and willingness to improve is why they are on varsity.

“I would rather have three guys who want to be in this room than a full team that doesn’t.”

Razzak, a sophomore, is taking a liking to Franco’s no-nonsense approach. As a 125-pounder, Razzak’s dealing with new concepts Franco dishes out.

Like what hand is used to attack the lower body and the upper body? It depends on the lead leg. If the right leg leads, the right hand is for the lower body and the offhand the upper body.

“He has been through what I’m going through, and all he cares about is that I don’t make the same mistakes,” Razzak said of Franco, a four-year wrestler at Costa Mesa who graduated in 2003. “We go over everything a lot, and you’re like, ‘Wow! I’m getting a hang of this.’ ”

Practice doesn’t always carry over to tournaments. Nervousness kicks in, something Razzak struggled coping with at the Estancia New Year Classic, completed Saturday.

Franco said it’s good to be nervous because “it keeps you on your toes.” Preparation is the key and sticking to the game plan.

“I’m going to be honest, I was scared going up against seniors for the first time,” said Razzak, who exited the two-day, 30-plus team tournament after two losses. The only Costa Mesa wrestler to win a match at the tournament was De La Mater.

Wrestling above his ideal weight of 189 pounds, De La Mater won his first 215-pound match. The junior followed that up with two consecutive losses and bowed out. The Mustangs’ third wrestler, Martinez, a sophomore, went 0-2 as a 130-pounder.

Wherever the three compete, Franco’s not looking for them to carry Costa Mesa in dual meets. They can’t with 14 weight classes, the opposition automatically receives 11 wins by forfeit.

“I’m going to build the program from scratch and it all starts with the right attitude and having heart,” said Franco, an assistant last year under Paul Serio, who stepped down as coach after two years. “There are times it gets frustrating with only three guys in here, but that’s why we have a 125-pound dummy. I hold it and let the guys unleash on it.”

At least with the dummy around Razzak and his teammates aren’t always alone.