Different looks

They look like each other, are nearly the same size, are in the same grade and both wrestle for Kofa.

***image1:left***Yet twins Blaine and Eric Blanton could not be more different on the mat.

"He.s a lot more muscle and strength; I.m a lot more technique," Blaine, the 5A Desert Valley Region 125-pound champion last year, said of his brother. "He.s like a 2-by-4 out there; I.m like a rubber band."

"He wants to be quick and juke you out, break your ankles," Eric added. "I.m just going to come at you. I.m more of a football style."

Despite the different styles, there are some similarities among the brothers. Both will likely open their season up a weight class from a year ago - Blaine will go at 130 pounds, while Eric is making the move from 119 to 125 - and both have a goal of placing high at this year.s state meet.

Both say their favorite part of wrestling is the individuality of the sport - the idea of being all alone on the mat, save for an opponent, while everyone else watches. "It.s all about you," Blaine said. "There.s nobody else that can really help you."

And both earn high praise from their head coach, Marty Dillon.

"Nowadays, it takes a real special breed of kid to hang in this sport, and if you had 25 or 30 Eric and Blaines, you.d be a world-beater," Dillon said. "Day in and day out, your team would be as good as any in the United States of America. They work hard, they.re disciplined, and they.re the most polite, respectful (kids)."

The brothers began wrestling competitively as seventh-graders, and have been facing off against one another since they were small children.

Being close in weight, they continue to battle each other to this day, and there.s often no way to predict who.s going to be the winner.

"It.s hard because we both know exactly what we.re going to do," Eric said. "We know what we practice, and it.s just difficult....When we wrestle each other, it.s so difficult because he.s moving and moving, and I.m just standing there waiting for my shot."

After literally countless bouts, Blaine and Eric continue to approach each meeting as a chance for bragging rights - and the battles rage as intense as always.

"When they go against each other, sometimes it gets out of hand," Dillon said. "We.ve literally had to step in and keep them from literally hurting each other when their tempers go a little bit overboard."

There.s plenty of other talent in the Kofa lineup, particularly in the lower weight classes.

Three returning Desert Valley champions are back: Ivan Felix, Pete Figueroa and Adrian Ramirez. All three wrestled in the state meet, as did Blaine Blanton, Adrian Felix and J.C. Pino.

"We.ll be real competitive from 103 (pounds) up to 171," said Dillon, who believes that the team will benefit from attending camp together this summer in Flagstaff. "So in a dual match, nobody will be able to take a break on us. But we have nobody at 189, 215 and heavyweight - Enrique Montoya (215) is out with fractured vertebrae - and that will hurt us tremendously."

Dillon said 171-pounder John Ruelle may be the most improved wrestler on the roster. Top freshmen include Anthony Bermudez (103) and Alan Felix (119).

The Kings open the season on the road Nov. 23, and have their first home meet Dec. 1.

Rich Polikoff can be reached at

rpolikoff@yumasun.com or at 539-6882.