The memories quickly resurfaced as West, 55, met up with his former teammates at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Concord that night. With nearly 300 people in attendance, the wrestlers and several other state champion teams received their awards as well as individual DVC stars like Willie McGee, an 18-year veteran of Major League Baseball.
"The whole thing was just a class act," West said. "The best part was walking to the podium and collecting the award. They called my name and put the medal around my neck. It gave me goose bumps. It was pretty cool."
West's glory days ended after DVC but that wasn't the first time he had tasted victory. He was able to earn back-to-back state titles - one as a senior at Antioch High School in 1969 and the other with the Vikings the following year.
"That was a great time in my life," he said. "It was an incredible experience."
West resides in Oakley but has been spending time in Colorado building log cabins. He still finds time to build hot rods and said he'll always cherish the memories of the good old days.
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