The list of accomplishments continues to grow for the Lowry High School wrestling team and the most decorated program in Nevada history is nearing one more.
The Buckaroos, who have won a record 16 state championships, including six in a row, is nearing another milestone. Lowry traveled to Fallon this past Saturday for the Earl Wilkens Memorial Tournament and extended its dual winning streak to 98, with five wins. The streak is the second-longest in state history, behind Yerington's 107.
The Buckaroos knocked off host Churchill County 58-24 in the championship. The Greenwave figure to be one of the tougher challengers to end Lowry's reign in duals or at the state championship.
"We know they are going to be one of the teams to beat," said LHS coach John Brooks. "They have a new coach and if they get their lineup in order, they will be tough."
Churchill County jumped out to a 12-0 lead after the first two matches, when the Buckaroos got back in the dual behind two victories from the Bell brothers. Trase, a junior, won his match 14-1 and younger brother, Quint won by pin in 69 seconds.
"Quint came to wrestle this weekend," Brooks said. "He went undefeated on the day and that was a big win. Not too bad of a day for a freshman. Those are the kids we will need this year. He showed up."
Kevin Blanco (132), Gabe Molina (138) and Nate Nelson (145) followed with pins in the first period, to put the Buckaroos up 28-18. The Greenwave countered with two victories to close the gap to 28-24 and it was all Lowry after that. Tristen Waller (170), Beau Billingsley (182), Anthony Hummel (195), Blake Hillyer (220) and Luis Cardenas (286) closed out the dual with pins.
Lowry opened the day with a 73-6 win over Yerington, including five by pin in Brian Day (113), Trase Bell (120), Molina (138), Blake Duncan (152) and Shaun Mentaberry (160). Blanco (132) and Cardenas (285) won by decision and Zach Peters (106), Quint Bell (126), Nelson (145), Billingsley (182), Hummel (195) and Hillyer (220) won by forfeit.
"I like when we can get out and dual," Brooks said. "It is so hard for us to find duals in the first place. Fallon was without a couple kids, so it will be tougher. We just started ripping off pins and that is what we need this year. Bonus points are going to be big."
The Buckaroos next took on South Tahoe and won 75-4. Lowry won half of the matches by forfeit. Mentaberry (160), Waller (170), Billingsley (182), Hillyer (220) and Cardenas (285) won by pin. Nelson had to go the distance in the 145-pound weight class to win his match 3-0.
Lowry dropped just one match in its dual against Fernley, on its way to a 67-6 for the Division I-A league foe. Day (113), Nelson (145), Duncan (152), Mentaberry (160), Waller (170), Billingsley (182), Hummel (195) and Hillyer (220) won by pin. Trase Bell (120), Quint Bell (126), Blanco (132) and Cardenas (285) won by decision. Molina was victorious by forfeit at 138 pounds.
Lowry reached the final with a 52-21 win over Elko. The Buckaroos fell behind 12-3 to the Indians, but claimed the next eight matches to go in front 34-12. That run started with a 3-0 win by Quint Bell. Blanco (132), Nelson (145), Duncan (152), Mentaberry (160), Billingsley (182), Hummel (195) and Cardenas (285) won by pin.
The Buckaroos are at home this weekend for the Cody Louk Invitational at the Winnemucca Event Center. Action gets underway at 2 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday.
"There are things we still need to work on," Brooks said. "We need to get a lot better. There is a bunch of teams in the same position we are. We need to work on conditioning and this on me. I will have them in shape. All in all it was a good day for us. The first weekend shows what you really need to improve on."[[In-content Ad]]
