David East
Bakersfield High School
Impact Statement
East coached 9 top 6 state place finishers, 7 finalists and 4 Champions in 2002, setting a state record in California.
Biography
After leading Bakersfield High to 4 top-10 finishes in the single-class California state tournament over the previous seven seasons, David East watched his Drillers rewrite the California record books in year (2002).
A month ago, Bakersfield scored 226.5 points in the state tournament, winning the state title by 125 points. Nine Bakersfield wrestlers finished in the top six, seven advanced to the finals, and four were crowned champions. All are California state records. Bakersfield was ranked No. 5 in the nation this season. In addition, one of East’s four state champions, 125-pounder Darrell Vasquez, became the first four-time state champion in the history of California high school wrestling. There was a very promising freshman who placed 4th named Jake Varner. Varner would go on to win the Gold Medal at the 2012 Olympics.
East is retiring from coaching this year after 27 years, 24 as a head coach. A graduate of Bakersfield High and Cal-State Bakersfield, where he was a member of the school’s first Division II national championship team. He was head coach for five years at Maricopa High and four years at West Bakersfield High before coming to Bakersfield High.
After three years as an assistant to Steve Varner, East became head coach in 1988 and led the Drillers to 14 consecutive league titles. In addition to this year’s state title, his teams finished second in the state in 2001 and third in 1995. He coached at least one state place winner in each of his final nine seasons and overall he coached 31 state place winners and seven state champions. His teams were undefeated in dual meets his final two seasons, and his career record was 204-12.
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