First Group Of EHS Wrestlers Recognized For Contributions
It was essentially a “Who’s Who” of Cougar wrestling alumni, honored ahead of senior night festivities as part of a special event at the old gymnasium on the high school’s campus. d’Escalon on January 25th.
EHS wrestling head coach Derek Scott said Wednesday’s alumni night was designed to highlight the contributions of former wrestlers, with each being presented with a special commemorative plaque.
The first winners were chosen as Ed Alves, Curtis Schurkamp, Dominic Freeseha and Daniel Gonzalez.
Alves, a member of the EHS Class of 1971, has a long list of honors under his belt. He won third and fifth place medals at CIF State competition, was a state runner-up while wrestling for Modesto Junior College, is in the MJC Hall of Fame, and was a Pac 10 champion at the ‘UCLA. He is also a former coach at the MJC and the EHS,
A member of the Class of 2004, Schurkamp was a four-time state qualifier as a Cougar and a three-time state usher. He earned third, fifth and sixth place finishes in his trips to the state competition. He then attended San Francisco State and was a two-time NCAA Division II All American, winning third and seventh place. Schurkamp is a former Lindsey Wilson College and EHS coach.
A graduate of the class of 2014, Freeseha was twice qualified for CIF State and finalist in the Masters. He was also a two-time Junior College All American at Fresno City College, with fourth and fifth place finishes, was a starter and graduated from the University of the Midlands, and is currently a coach for Escalon Wrestling Club.
Gonzalez graduated with the Class of 2016 and was All-District in wrestling and football while competing for the Cougars. He attended Hastings College in Nebraska where he was a starter for four years in football and wrestling. He was an NAIA Regional Champion, an NAIA National Qualifier, is the head wrestling coach for El Portal Middle School and a college football assistant coach at EHS.
All four, in addition to receiving their individual plaques, had their names placed on the perpetual plaque, with names to be added each year as part of the annual EHS Alumni Night program.
Scott said it was a good way to highlight the individual achievements of the four former Cougars, and Alves said he hoped more alumni would start attending wrestling events, in a show of support for the Cougar program.
He suggested setting aside a space specifically for alumni to encourage their presence.