The Battle Mountain High School wrestling team was set to host a number of schools throughout Nevada last weekend, but Mother Nature took thing into he own hands.
An freezing rain storm in the eastern part of the state, forced schools such as Elko, Spring Creek, West Wendover and White Pine to stay home.
However, a handful of schools were able to make the trip. The Longhorns took part in three duals. Battle Mountain defeated Pershing County and Tonopah/Round Mountain.
The other dual featured the two most winningest programs in the history of Nevada took the mat next as Lowry met up with Battle Mountain. The two schools just separated by 52 miles have combined to win 31 state championships. Lowry is first at 16 and Battle Mountain has won 15. The Buckaroos picked up the 51-19 victory.
Battle Mountain jumped out to a 6-0 lead at 182 pounds when Conner Starkey had the tough task of taking Jeff Oakes. Oakes is an All-American Reno Tournament of Champion winner and a state champion. Oakes won by pin on the first period.
Lowry bounced back to win the next three matches, with Joe Peterson pinning Tristen Cordingley. Mikeas Somers (220) and Chris Karchella (285) won by decisions of 7-2 and 1-0.
Battle Mountain’s Cameron Thompson (106) cut the deficit to 12-10 with hos win over Ridge Ricketts.
Thew two squads traded wins from there as Matthew Souza beat Jake Legarza at 113 pounds, while DeAndre Powell knocked off Zach Peters by a 6-3 decision at 120 pounds. Trase Bell answered for Lowry at 126 pounds by beating Bobby Kester, when Andrew Cox followed with a victory for the Longhorns over Nathen Blanco at 132 pounds. Lowry held a slim 21-19 at that point.
It was all Lowry from there as Quint Bell, Cameron Okuma and Cade Billingsley won by pin to push the advantage to 39-19. The Buckaroos closed out the dual with forfeit wins by Seth Hornbarger and Shaun Mentaberry.
Matt Rochester, Powell, Thompson, Cox and Oakes went undefeated on the night. Legarza, Kester, Dagen McClary, Mason Chopp, Cordingley, Heese and Burkhart were 2-1. Braden Stallard and Christian Nevarez were 1-1 and Fernando Carrillo ended the night at 1-2.
Battle Mountain is back home this Friday and Saturday to host the Division III/IV North duals. The Division III/IV Regional Championships will take place on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Pershing County High School in Lovelock.
