Athlete of the Week: Tovar’s long journey ends with state title
Many children grow up idolizing popular actors, singers or athletes. Then there is Poway High senior Ralphy Tovar. He grew up following athletes, but not the kind shown on ESPN every night.
“It started when I was 5,” explained Tovar. “I knew every state wrestling champion and I wanted to be like them. Some people’s role models are rappers or singers. My idols were high school wrestlers. I knew all the big names and all of the champions.”
That was when the dream to get his name on the list of state champions was born. He had gotten close his junior season, but fell in the 145-pound semifinal and finished in fourth place. His sophomore year ended with a fifth-place finish at 132 pounds.
This season was his last shot and it got off to a rocky start.
“I went to Las Vegas for a national tournament in October (of 2014) and I was supposed to win,” Tovar said. “I lost my opening match and I just had no clue what was going on. A lot of people started questioning me and it had me doubting myself. Then the Reno (Tournament of Champions) came and I had a bad tournament. At that point, I was thinking, ‘wow, maybe something is wrong.’ Other people got me down.”
It wouldn’t last long, though. Tovar continued to work as hard as he had every other season in the mat room. In the back of his head, he always believed that everything would come together in the end. His parents, coaches and girlfriend were all behind him.
Then the moment he had been dreaming about since he was 5 happened. Saturday night inside of Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield on the elevated mat, Tovar defeated San Marino High’s Zander Wick 5-0 in the 145-pound state championship final. He dropped to a knee on the mat and pointed to the sky.
“When the clock expired, I honestly felt like it was just another match,” said Tovar, who capped his high school career with a 43-2 record this season. “Then I realized where I was, and I had to take a knee and look up. It was just great to let it sink in.”
The plan had been accomplished. Tovar’s name is now forever etched next to all his role models.
“It was a long, long journey for him,” Poway coach Wayne Branstetter said, “It was pretty emotional to watch him get that gold medal. It was the final match of his high school career and after all the hundreds of matches climbing that mountain and to make it is pretty emotional.”
The Titans as a team broke the school record for placers (9) and points (189.5) at state. Tovar was right in the middle of that historic finish.
“It was everything that I really wanted for so long,” he said. “We became the best team in Poway history and every goal that I had came true with this team.”
A set of new goals will need to be made now. Tovar will continue his wrestling career at Grand Canyon University. When asked what some of those goals might be, he responded: “This is the first time I haven’t had a plan since I was 5. I am just going to enjoy the freedom of my life for a little bit.”
As he should. He’s earned it.