LJ wrestling: Fly-in from Virginia

Emi Barajas Najera (146 pounds) has his hand

raised after a fall in a short time (time not recorded)

over Kalvin Johnson (right) of Holtville.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

A real treat for Emiliano "Emi" Barajas Najera's family at the Viking JV wrestlers' participation in the six-school meet at Madison High Mon., Dec. 8, was grandfather Keith Sutyak ("soot-yack") flying in that day from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Sutyak, father of Emi's mother, is a retired naval officer. On hand in the stands was Bernardo Barajas, Emi's dad, along with Keith.

The latter proudly explained, when asked, how to spell and pronounce his last name, which he said is Czech and from the White Mountains area of the country that is now called Czechia. (The reporter visited it when it was still called the Czech Republic with his wife. Formerly, during the Cold War, the country formed part of Czechoslovakia with NBA star Luka Doncic's country, Slovakia.)

Emi, 14 years old, for his part, took part in the second of three dual meets that La Jolla had against a trio of schools among the six schools at the event. He won by a pin in a short time in the first period against a wrestler from Holtville. Barajas, a freshman, wrestles at 138 pounds.