In order for the Lowry High School wrestling team to return back to Winnemucca from Boulder City with a 17th state championship, everything and more would have had to go right for the Buckaroos.
The tournament started well for Lowry, but the squad ran into a tough couple rounds and finished fourth as a team with 97 points. Elko won its first state title since 1989 with 145 points and Spring Creek made it close with 142.5 points.
Boulder City was third with 102.5 points.
“Going into the state tournament, we were in a chase position, chasing Elko and Spring Creek,” said LHS coach John Brooks. “To be in the hunt, we needed to win all the matches we were favored to win and several others that we were not expected to win. That simply did not happen. Spring Creek had one of those days and made a run at Elko. Elko held on and was able to win. They were just the best team in the final couple weeks.”
Lowry brought home one state champion in Coda Nichols at 106 pounds. Nichols went undefeated through the Northern 3A Duals, regional tournament and state championships.
Nichols opened with a pin in :43 seconds over Chaparral’s Edwin Lopez. Nichols took down Elko’s Camden Jensen by pin in the third period and the junior won his state title with a pin over Fernley’s Camron Mcmackin in the second period.
“I am happy for Coda, he deserves it,” Brooks said. “He worked hard all year and looked good the last couple of weeks.”
Brenton Baker finished third at 132 pounds but did the tough way with a comeback.
He lost his opening match to Virgin Valleys’ Decker Lee and battled his way through the consolation bracket.
Baker came back in the consolation first round to pin Del Sol’s Fredrick Dickinson. Baker stayed alive with a 13-4 win over Pahrump Valley’s Chris Vega. Baker clinched third place with a pin over Moapa Valley’s Carter Wagaky,
“Baker took the long route but battled back to finish third, it was a good way to end the season,” Brooks said.
Marcas Ricci (113), Angel Huerta (120), Wade Mori (132), Jesse Hawkins and Damon Fetty (152) each placed fourth.
Ricci opened his day with a quick 33-seond pin over Adrian Parra of Del Sol, but dropped a back-and-forth, high scoring 14-11 match to Boulder City’s Mic Raabe.
Ricci stayed in the tournament with a 13-3 win over Boulder City’s Logan Goode but dropped the third-place match by pin to Spring Creek’s Joe Gillespie.
Huerta needed just 62 seconds to win his opening match with a pin over Tucker Bennion of Moapa Valley.
Huerta dropped to the consolation bracket after dropping his semifinal bout to Elko’s Craig Slater.
The senior rallied to pin Churchill County’s Jaden McFadden in the consolation semifinals but lost the third-place match to Gavin Baird of Virgin Valley.
Mori began the day with a pin over Virgin Valley’s Sam Woods but Mori lost his semifinal match to Cael Sellers after beating Sellers for the regional tournament. Mori came back to pin Fernley’s Brady Garrett.
Mori lost the third-place match 9-7 in overtime to South Tahoe Kash Hendricks, who scored a takedown in the extra period.
Hawkins started off with a pin over Chaparral’s Victor Huerta but lost in the semifinals to Pahrump Valley’s Coby Tillery. Hawkins won his consolation semifinal bout over Garrett Friederici of South Tahoe.
Hawkins lost the third-place match by technical fall, 16-1, to Josh Fotheringham of Boulder City.
Fetty dropped his opening match to Ethan Workman of Virgin Valley but bounced back with consolation wins over Marciano Montano of Fernley and Mario Delacruz of Chaparral in a 7-2 decision.
Fetty lost the third-place match to Moapa Valley’s Shandon Matheson.
Jhett Harber (160), Luke Fentress (170), Hunter Smith (182), Boni Jacinto (220) and David Walker (285) each collected a win for the Buckaroos.
“Wrestling is demanding for the wrestling parent as well,” Brooks said. “The traveling alone can be a test. As coaches we have always received great support from our parents, and this year was no exception. We truly appreciate looking up in the bleachers and seeing you there.”
