Wrestlers show skills, placing in Connell Tournament

Raider wrestlers hosted the LR Mix & Match Dec. 6, then participated in the Connell Invite and the Warden Women's Invite on Dec. 9.

At Connell, the Raiders earned several medals, including two for first place, one second place, three thirds, and a fourth.

The Raiders hosted wrestlers from Wilbur/Creston/Keller, Okanogan, and Davenport high schools Dec. 6.

"There were some great battles out there," Head Coach Steve Hood said. "The other coaches were pleased with the matches they got."

Most wrestlers were able to participate in two matches during the event, getting them experience, which is what the event was all about.

In Connell, LR placed fourth out of 14 teams.

"They got some competition," Hood said.

Kaleb Horn placed first in the 138-pound division; Tony Nichols placed first at 152; Ryan Moon placed second at 145. Robert Thomas, at 106; Jon Shelley, at 130; and Dominick LaPlante, at 132, each earned third in their weight classes. Placing fourth was Everett Schmidt at 113.

To take first, Horn pinned R. Ozuna from Warden in the third round.

Behind going into the third round, Horn added a point for a takedown and more, gaining the lead before pinning his opponent.

"That was an exciting match," Hood said. "He had to fight his way back out of some trouble early in the match, took control by the third round, and won."

Nichols won 5-0 against H. Haworth from Warden to take first.

"He wrestled a pretty good guy, won 5-0," Hood said about Nichols. "He was in control the whole match. The other guy was not easy to score on."

Hood noted that several freshmen Raiders at the tournament did well and showed their skill levels improving.

"We were the only B-school at the tournament," Hood said. "We competed well, and to place fourth there against those teams was great."

Ida Sue lost her matches at the Warden's Women's Invite. "Some days are like that," Hood said.

The Raiders travel to Oroville today, Dec. 13, to wrestle in a mixer there, which starts at 6 p.m. On Saturday, they travel to the Cashmere invitational which starts at 10 a.m.

Connell Invite

106 - R. Thomas (LR) pin Wilkinson (SRDG); J. Magana (Conn) def R. Thomas 15-0; R. Thomas pin C. West (Ward). 113 - B. Cortes pin E. Schmidt (LR); R. Martinez (Ward) pin E. Schmidt. 120 - J. Shelley (LR) pin K.M. Lay (KNWK); D. Martinez (ROYL) def J. Shelley 11-8; J. Shelley pin V. Tovar (RVEW). 132 - E. Hernandez (Ward) pin D. LaPlante (LR); D. LaPlante pin T. Bollinger (WALA), D. LaPlante pin M. Lozier (RVEW); D. LaPlante pin A. Guerero (Cash). 138 - K. Horn (LR) pin N. Crumby (SRDG); K. Horn pin R. Gonzalez (WARD); K. Horn pin R. Ozuna (WARD). 145 - R. Moon (LR) pin L. Macias (WARD); R. Moon pin W. Gillikin (CASH); B. Martinez (WARD) pin R. Moon. 152 - T. Nichols (LR) def B. Busto (ROYAL) 7-1; T. Nichols def R. Stayrook (SRDG) 13-1; T. Nichols def. H. Haworth (WARD) 5-0. 160 - Z. Pacheco (WALA) pin D. Wiles (LR); D. Wiles pin J.L. Contreras (RVEW); C.F. Roque (WALA) pin D. Wiles. 182 - M. Luveno (LR) pin A. Scott (COBU); J. Tuttle (CONN) def M. Luveno. 195 - T. Mendez (WARD) pin M. Boyd (LR); F. Gonzalez (ROYL) pin M. Boyd. 220 - G. Woods (SRDG) pin S. Vargas (LR); S. Vargas pin G. Johnson (SRDG); O. Andrade (CONN) pin S. Varas; O. Andrade pin B. Long (LR); B. Long pin F. Hokanson (CONN); G. Woods pin B. Long