Camarillo's Josh Requena is The Star's All-County Boys Wrestler of the Year
Workouts before school. Practice after dinner. Early Sunday morning strength training after a late Saturday night at a tournament.
Surrounded by teammates or drilling himself alone in the wrestling room.
Josh Requena is constantly working to separate himself from his competition on the mat.
“That’s the type of kid he is,” Camarillo coach Donald Montijo said. “He wrestles seven days a week. Before practice, after practice, he’s one of the hardest-working kids we’ve seen.”
Two-a-days? That’s the standard for this wrestling standout.
“I’m always on the mats,” Requena said. “There’s always something I should be doing.”
The hard work paid off as the Camarillo High sophomore improved on his attention-grabbing freshman season with a sensational sophomore season at 132 pounds.
“I just love that part of it, the individuality of it,” Requena said. “It’s just you out here on the mat. All your hard work shows when you wrestle.”
Requena won his second straight Coastal Canyon League and CIF-Southern Section titles, finished second in the 132-pound Gold Division at CIF-SS Masters meet, and won six matches at the CIF-State championships to grab fifth place in his weight class.
Putting constant pressure on his opponents, The Star’s Boys Wrestler of the Year went 40-10 overall and was the only area wrestler to earn a medal at the state tournament.
“He kept constant pressure on his opponents,” Montijo said. “That was a big part of his success this year.
“He’s a very offensive wrestler. He’s always in great position. His technique is second to none. What made him excel this year, he was only worried about the next point. Before, he was cautious about letting the other kid score on him.”
Requena went 6-2 at state, where he faced a decisive moment in Bakersfield by overcoming St. Francis’ Bryce Luna in the decisive “blood rounds.”
The consolation stages that determine who places — and who doesn’t — is when Requena’s freshman season ended.
“Those are the big ones,” Montijo said.
Luna had defeated Requena in their three previous meetings over the past two seasons. After the fourth meeting went to overtime, Requena secured a couple takedowns and some fall points to advance, 6-1.
“That was a big deal to me,” Requena said. “It was the match to get in the placing rounds. … All my supporters and family members were there for that match, which made it so much better.
“That probably was the highlight of my tournament right there.”
His junior season began the next Monday.
“It doesn’t really ever stop for me,” Requena said. “When I got back from state, I took Sunday off and the next day I was back to work.
“I’m a young kid. I just want to make the most out of my years. That’s why I’m just working hard every day and making every day count, right?”
Others notice Requena’s work ethic.
“I just know that he works really hard, every day,” said Westlake senior Makenzie English, who trains in the same circles as Requena. “I see him nearly every day. He’s kind of quiet. He’s silent in his actions, but big in his moves. That’s how I think of him.”
Requena was introduced to wrestling by a friend of the family, who suggested wrestling could help him with his jujitsu takedowns.
“One day we just showed up to one of the practices at Camarillo High,” Requena said. “Back when they had the kids club.
“Ever since then I fell in love with the sport because of the competitiveness of it and where it can take you in life.”
Requena also helps train Tabitha Ricci, an MMA fighter based in Ventura, and has traveled to fights to support her corner.
“That’s put his name on the map,” Montijo said. “(Former MMA star) Daniel Cormier knows who the kid is. Just having that exposure is huge.”
Just halfway through his high school career, Requena is pleased with his progress, but not content.
“Ever since last year, I’ve matured more mentally and physically,” Requena said. “I’ve made some big leaps and I’m only going to keep getting better.”
The Star's All-County Boys Wrestling Second Team
Salvador Ardon, Camarillo
Drew Perlmutter, Camarillo
Emmanuel Sandoval, Camarillo
Tomas Fulgentes, Royal
Wylde Brant, Ventura
Jayden Tate, Ventura
Daniel Rundle, Ventura
David Arambula, Ventura
Tasman Cassell, Newbury Park
Micah Wegman, Calabasas
Matt Hernandez, Rio Mesa
David Perez, Rio Mesa
David Lopez, Buena
Joshua Godinez, Oxnard
David McCormick, Hueneme
Joe Curley is a staff writer for The Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Camarillo's Josh Requena is The Star's Boys Wrestler of the Year
