WINNEMUCCA - For the past few years the Kiwanis Invitational in Spring Creek has been one of the toughest tournaments in Nevada, with a number of teams from Idaho and southern Nevada, to go along with the usual northern Nevada powers.
The 2013 event had all the hopes of being just as strong, but Mother Nature had other plans. Due to poor weather, six schools from Idaho and Moapa Valley in southern Nevada did not make the trip.
With just 17 teams entered, the Lowry High School wrestling team dominated the invitational, winning by nearly 100 points at 284.50. Virgin Valley was second at 188 and host Spring Creek was third with 175.50 points. Yerington (169) and North Valleys (147.50) rounded out the top five. Lowry's Gold team placed 10th with 69 points.
"It wasn't the tournament it has been in the past," said LHS head coach John Brooks. "In some ways it looked like what a state tournament could be. It was a good chance to see what Virgin Valley has and we know Spring Creek will always be tough."
Daniel Pollock (113), Beau Billingsley (152), Michael Billingsley (170), Tytin Johnson (195) and Luis Cardenas (285) all claimed first place for Lowry.
"We had everyone back and we got done what we needed to," Brooks said. "There were a couple of matches that we should have won that we didn't."
Pollock received byes all the way to the quarterfinals, where he pinned Elko's Cameron Benbough in the second period. Pollock followed that up by pinning Virgin Valley's Brok Williams, also in the second period.
The senior finished off the tournament by beating Sam Goings of Churchill County 7-5 in the championship.
"That was a good win for Daniel over the Goings kid," Brooks said. "That's one that might not be over yet. Sam is a good wrestler and he has a good coach."
Beau Billingsley had little trouble on his way to the 152-pound title, winning his first three matches by pin. The sophomore disposed of Wells' Teigan Meyers in the round of 16 and Churchill County's Talon Uptain and Yerington's Josh Lauderale in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. In the championship, Billingsley won by technical fall over Elko's Gage Catagnelli.
Michael Billingsley, who will be looking to become Lowry's second four-time state champion, won all his matches by pin at 170 pounds.
It took just 84 seconds for the senior to dispose of Churchill County's Lane Giovanetti in the round of 16. Billingsley then knocked off West Wendover's Saul Mendoza in the quarterfinals. That set up a semifinal bout with teammate Alec Mayo, which Billingsley won by fall with eight seconds to go in the second period. Billingsley won the title with a pin over Yerington's Skylar Bryan in the third period.
Johnson reached the quarterfinals with two byes and in his wrestling match he beat teammate Jose Ruiz by fall in the second period. Johnson earned a semifinal victory over West Wendover's Gary Ripptoe, and in the finals the junior pinned Yerington's Sam Monahan with one second left in the second period.
Cardenas also had byes to the quarterfinal round where he pinned Carlin's Forrest Barron in 79 seconds. The sophomore earned a 3-1 decision over North Valleys Nathen Beaumont in the semifinals and won the championship by pinning West Wendover's Moises Prieto in the third period.
Jed Johnson (182) and Cody Andersen (220) picked up runner-up finishes for the Buckaroos.
Johnson's first match came in the quarterfinals, where he defeated White Pine's Harveen Singh by pin in the first period. Johnson notched a 5-0 victory over North Valleys' Mason Meyer in the semifinals before losing to Yerington's Wyatt Duncan in the finals.
Andersen was back on the mat for the first time after injuring his ribs at the Cody Louk Invitational in Winnemucca in mid-December.
The senior cruised to victories over Churchill County's Ricky Rogers and Virgin Valley's Jared Walther to reach the finals. Andersen met up with Battle Mountain's Tugi Cordova and lost by pin to the Longhorn grappler. The two were wrestling each other in Winnemucca, when Andersen got hurt.
"It was nice have to Cody back," added the coach. "We get some more points when he is back in the lineup. Tugi is just a tough kid and good wrestler."
Eric Brooks (120) and Aaron Nelson (132) finished third for the Buckaroos. Kevin Blanco (106) and Brandon Okuma (145) each placed fourth, Gabe Molina (126) was fifth and Lane Mentaberry (138) placed sixth.
Kirk Berentsen (160), Mayo (170) and Blake Hillyer were fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, for the Lowry Gold squad.
"I really wasn't too happy with our wrestling on the first day," Brooks said. "We looked a little sluggish. But the guys responded on Saturday and looked good."
Lowry travels to Fernley today and Saturday for the Vaquero Invitational. The Buckaroos return to Spring Creek on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29, for the Division I-A league duals.
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