2014-15 Register wrestling coach of the year: Alan Clinton, Servite

Servite's Alan Clinton is the Register's coach of the year for wrestling for 2014-15.
Servite's Alan Clinton is the Register's coach of the year for wrestling for 2014-15.
Servite's Alan Clinton is the Register's coach of the year for wrestling for 2014-15.
Servite's Alan Clinton (coach of the year), left, and Servite's Liam Cronin (wrestler of the year) earned the Register's top awards for wrestling for the 2014-15 season.
Servite's Alan Clinton (coach of the year) and Servite's Liam Cronin (wrestler of the year) earned the Register's top awards for wrestling for the 2014-15 season.
The Register's All-County wrestling team: (front row, from left) Ryan Gutierrez (Brea Olinda), Brandon Hernandez (Capistrano Valley), Dexter Viengvilay (Laguna Hills), Liam Cronin (Servite), Trevor Perez (Mater Dei), Steven Castillo (El Dorado). (Back row, from left) Abe Ochoa (Yorba Linda), Russell Rohlfing (Sonora), Steven Ahumada (Loara), Coach Alan Clinton (Servite), Josh Kawaguchi (Sonora), Ryker Coppa (Marina) and Morris Wilner (Calvary Chapel).

By Damian Calhoun | dcalhoun@scng.com | Daily Breeze

April 10, 2015 at 11:39 p.m.

There was no easy road to success for the Servite wrestling team.

All of the extra work in the offseason, practicing and travelling to duals and other competitions, paid off with a remarkable season for the Friars.

“It was one of those years that made you go wow,” Servite coach Alan Clinton said. “Accomplishmentwise, it was a great year. Winning almost every tournament we went to … We were runner-up at Reno and Five Counties. The kids wrestled well. It was 20 kids putting it together week in and week out.”

For his leadership through this season, Clinton is the Register’s Orange County wrestling coach of the year.

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Related:

All-County wrestling team

O.C. wrestler of the year: Liam Cronin, Servite

All-County wrestling: 2nd, 3rd teams

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“(We had a great year) last year, and everybody asks how can you outdo it?” Clinton said. “We try to come in every year and try to outdo the previous one.”

In 2014, the Friars won Trinity League and CIF titles and finished second at CIF Duals.

With a loaded lineup this season, the Friars didn’t waste any time exerting their dominance.

Servite opened the season at the Cossarek Classic and posted 354 points with all 14 wrestlers finishing in the top eight of their weight class. They topped that point total at the Mann Classic (382).

The Friars won their second consecutive CIF title and captured the CIF-SS Dual Meet title as well, defeating Trinity League rival St. John Bosco in the finals.

The Dual Meet victory came after the Friars were defeated by the Braves in their league dual.

“That was a huge motivating factor,” Clinton said of the loss to St. John Bosco in league. “It sounds dumb, but sometimes you need those losses. You’re going along so well. … I think it woke us up.”

The Friars qualified 13 wrestlers for the CIF-SS Masters Meet and five for the state tournament.

“One thing we tell them is to always be realistic,” Clinton said. “I set my goals, and when they come in they set their goals. We compare and contrast, where we’re going to meet, and we do it every year and I think that’s one of the reasons why we’re successful.

“When we start the season we say, ‘have we done what we’re supposed to do to make the season worthwhile?’”

It was easy for the Friars to answer that question this season.

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com