Beckman wrestler Mohammad Mohseni made great strides to become PCL champion

Beckman’s Mohammad Mohseni received the PCL sportsmanship award from his school. (Photo courtesy Beckman High School)

Beckman High School wrestler Mohammad Mohseni came a long ways during his four year career.

Mohseni struggled in his first year before improving each season and playing a key role in helping the Patriots capture their first Pacific Coast League title in his senior season. Mohseni also received the school’s PCL sportsmanship award.

“I just started it (wrestling) in my freshman year like all the other guys,” Mohseni said. “I had nothing else to do and I said I would give wrestling a shot. And in my freshman year, I only won two matches and they were both against the same kid. At first I wasn’t really good, but I just kept working hard and grinding and I just got better as time went by and day in and day out worked hard.

“Fast forward to my senior year, where I was two-time PCL champ. I just wanted to achieve my goals and I wanted to go to CIF and be a PCL champ.”

Beckman Coach Ali Rawaf saw first hand how hard work paid off for Mohseni, one of only two four-year wrestlers in the program.

“He started with no athletic talent at all, but overcame many odds to be our most dominant wrestler as a senior,” Rawaf said. “He has also matured steadily in his mindset and was team captain for us this past season.

“Mohammad is a testament to what hard work, effort, and determination can accomplish. He has come a long way in four years of wrestling, and he has plenty to be proud of. He is a two-time league champion and CIF-qualifer, has earned medals from multiple varsity tournaments, and was instrumental in leading the team to our first-ever league championship.

“He did not start as the best wrestler, or the most athletic, or the most vocal, yet he has matured into a positive captain and role model with a mean streak for pinning his opponents. I know he inspires many of our younger wrestlers on the team to follow in his footsteps, which is just what a growing program like our’s needs. He has definitely left his mark on Beckman wrestling.”

Mohseni’wrapped up his career with some great memories, including the first league title for the school in wrestling.

“It was our first time winning the PCL, it’s always been Irvine that has been winning so for the first time we were able to be victorious and be PCL champs for wrestling,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with the team mentality and the attitude toward wrestling. Our team has come a long ways when it comes to that.

“Back in my freshman year the attitude was a lot different than in my senior year. The attitude toward wrestling and the grind the kids are putting in right now is a lot more than it was a while back and we were really motivated to win this year because we were really close last year.”

Mohseni was a two-time league champion, winning in the 170-pound weight class as a junior and in the 182-pound division this past year.

“It’s nice, the first time I won it, I thought it was mostly out of luck and I wasn’t really sure about it and then the second time I came to prove to myself that I did actually earn being PCL champ and I came back and worked my butt off again and gave it all I had it was a really nice experience being PCL champ the second time and prove to myself that I really did it earn it. and deserve it.”

Mohseni said he took his role as a captain seriously.

“There are a lot of factors that go into it,” he said. “A lot of it is about responsibility and knowing that people are looking up to you and knowing you have to be performing and be on your best attitude at all times because people are looking up to you. And it’s also about keeping the team together and keep that team chemistry strong and getting everyone involved and have everyone enjoy the sport mostly.”

Mohseni said some college coaches have reached out to him about continuing in the sport, but for now he plans to study at Irvine Valley College.

“I’m going to focus on academics because I want to be a civil engineer,” he said.

In two years Mohseni said he hopes to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona to continue his studies.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com