Pershing County freshman Israel Knight displays his gold medal at the Cougar Bash in the 144-pound weight class.
Ten Pershing County High School wrestlers headed to Sparks for the Cougar Bash last Friday, Dec. 22.
They competed against athletes from 13 other schools including Spanish Springs, Fernley and Reed.
Lovelock’s wrestlers included Israel Knight (144), Jake Trowbridge (190), Magdalena Ramirez (143), Ashton Jimenez (132A), Justin Carruth (132B), Braxson Bird (144), Cade Liebsack (150), Logan Hunt (215), Zander Bishop (285) and Kimberly Trowbridge (143).
“It was a large tournament for JV wrestlers,” said coach Mike Brooks. Five Mustangs earned top places and they all gained experience.
Israel Knight finished first in the 144-pound weight class.
He got there by pinning Lucas Oden from Carson in the semifinals and Vance Heit from Bishop Manogue in the first-place match.
Jake Trowbridge (190) and Magdalena Ramirez (143) each finished second.
Trowbridge pinned a Reed wrestler in the quarterfinals and a Wooster wrestler in the semifinals.
He lost the first-place match to Lidio Valdovinos of Yerington.
Ramirez won by fall over her teammate Kimberly Trowbridge. Next, she pinned Tayla McDonagh of Galena and Ariana Marshall of Fernley.
Marshall rebounded to win the final round.
Ashton Jimenez (132A) fished third. He won the first round by decision against a Reed wrestler, Darren Brooks.
He pinned a Bishop Manogue wrestler in the quarterfinals. He lost the semifinal round to a Fernley wrestler by major decision.
Jimenez won the consolation semifinal in double overtime over Darren Brooks from McQueen.
He went on to win the third-place match by decision against Caden Sae-Wong from Wooster.
“Ashton had a great tournament,” said Brooks.
Cade Liebsack (150) lost his first round to a Wooster wrestler by major decision. This sent him to the consolation rounds where he pinned a Yerington wrestler (Dante Sceirine) and won by decision against McQueen’s Bryce Linder.
Liebsack won the consolation semifinal by decision against Wooster’s Riley Smith. He lost the third-place match by fall to Reed’s Grayson Williams.
Wrestling continues to gain in popularity but is sometimes overshadowed by other high school sports. It demands a lot from its athletes both mentally and physically.
That’s why Lovelock continues practicing over winter break. Coach Brooks says these sessions are critical to a wrestler’s season.
“Winter practices bring a different energy and are a chance for the kids to improve and catapult themselves to the rest of the season,” he says.
This weekend, the Mustangs wrestlers return to Sparks for the Railroader Invitational.