WINNEMUCCA - The Lowry High School wrestling team had two teams finish in the top 10 of the Cody Louk Invitational this past weekend, with the Gold squad placing 10th with 109.50 points.
The Lowry Blue won with 243.50 points, Spring Creek was second at 204.50 and Spanish Springs was a close third with 202.50 points. Yerington (163.50) and Battle Mountain (151) rounded out the top five. The Buckaroos' Gold team beat a number of varsity schools including Churchill County, Middleton (Idaho), South Tahoe, Douglas, Crane (Ore.) and Sparks.
"These guys are wrestling very well right now," said LHS head coach John Brooks. "They have had a pretty good couple of weeks. They won the tournament in Lovelock and were 10th here. These are kids that we might have to rely on as the season goes on."
Lowry's Gold had five wrestlers finish in the top six including, Trase Bell second at 106 pounds and Tytin Johnson third at 220.
Bell, a freshman, needed just 22 seconds to win his first match by pin over Silver Stage's Trever Martin. In the quarterfinals, Bell won a 10-2 majority decision over Battle Mountain's Dillon Thompson. The freshman moved to the finals with a 7-3 decision over Spanish Springs' Wade Wrenn. Bell took on his teammate Kevin Blanco in the championship, with Blanco winning 8-0.
Johnson received a bye in the opening round, and had little trouble with Clay Duckworth of Crane (Ore.) in the quarterfinals, winning 16-3. The junior moved in to the semifinals, where he lost a close 7-4 decision to Battle Mountain's Tugi Cordova, the eventual champion in the weight class.
Johnson won his first consolation bout, pinning Spring Creek's Jake Roumanos with four seconds left in the first period. Johnson earned third place with an 11-4 decision over Pershing County's Christian Diarte.
Kirk Berentsen (160) earned a fourth-place finish as he reached the championship quarterfinals. Berentsen picked up a bye in the opening round and in his first match pinned Wells' Woody Gibbs. In the quarterfinals, the junior lost to North Valleys' Adam Kamikawa.
Berentsen made his way through the consolation bracket with wins over Spanish Springs' Justin Shaffer, Lowry's Marcus Molina and Battle Mountain's Jeff Oakes. Berentsen got another chance at Kamikawa but lost a 2-1 decision to the North Valleys grappler.
Blake Duncan (152) finished sixth for the Buckaroos. Duncan won his opening match over Yerington's Eddie Montano by decision. The sophomore lost his quarterfinal bout to Zach Perez from Spanish Springs and was forced to make his way through the consolation bracket.
Duncan picked up victories over Sparks' Rodrick Pool, Silver Stage's Caine Melzo and Battle Mountain's George Mayberry. Duncan met up with Perez once again and lost, sending him to the fifth-place match were he lost to Elko's Gage Castagnetti.
Blake Hillyer (182) was the second Lowry finisher to place sixth. The sophomore reached the championship quarterfinals with wins over Elko's Angel Lievanos and Sparks' Joseph Palesi. Hillyer lost in the quarterfinals to Spanish Springs' Tyler Beaulac, who finished second in the weight class.
Hillyer won his next two consolation matches against Douglas' Jason Trenkle and Battle Mountain's Joey Cross. Hillyer lost his final two bouts to finish sixth.
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