Warden holds off Royal for district title

Wahluke finishes seventh

WARDEN — The Cougars, on the strength of 12 championship finalists, repeated as SCAC East district champions Saturday. Warden entered the finals with an insurmountable lead over second place Royal.

Warden and Royal each crowned six district champions.

Warden coach Rick Bowers felt his team wrestled well in the tournament.

"Overall it was good," said Bowers. "We had some disappointments and some surprises; it's all part of the game."

"We accomplished one more of our goals," Bowers added. "We just have to perform."

Royal head coach Ben Orth was also impressed with his team's effort Saturday.

"I'm very pleased with our guys," Orth said. "Our team goal was to get 19 to regionals."

Royal qualified 17 wrestlers and two alternates for next weekend's regional tournament.

The Cougars will take 18 wrestlers and six alternates to Royal City for regionals.

The Cougars' Anthony Martinez defeated River View's Ben Buck 5-1 for the 152 pound title. With the win, Martinez avenged a loss to Buck the previous week.

Martinez learned from his loss to Buck, preventing the River View wrestler from using moves that worked against him in the last match.

"Anthony Martinez wrestled a smart, intelligent match," said Bowers.

Martinez scored a takedown 12 seconds into the match, and finished the opening round with a 2-1 lead.

The Warden wrestler controlled Buck during the second period, preventing Buck from scoring out of the bottom position.

Late in the third round, Buck gave Martinez an escape in hopes of getting a match-tying takedown. Martinez countered a desperation takedown attempt by Buck and scored a final takedown at the buzzer.

In the opening match of the finals, Warden's Jesse Guerra earned a 10-6 decision victory over Kittitas' Daniel O'Shaughnessy.

Leading 7-6 entering the third round, Guerra needed to prevent O'Shaughnessy from scoring from the bottom position. After fighting off a reversal attempt by the Kittitas wrestler, Guerra countered and took O'Shaughnessy to his back for a 3-point near fall and the victory.

Following Guerra, teammate Steven Elizalde won the 112 pound championship with a 14-2 victory over Robert Langloss of Kittitas.

"Elizalde looked real good," Bowers remarked.

Warden and Royal would go head-to-head for the 119 pound title, with Royal's Jose Barajas winning a 7-0 decision over Warden freshman Robert Pruneda. Barajas broke the match open in the second round with a quick reversal to extend his lead to 4-0. The Royal wrestler scored a 3-point near fall at the of the round for the final points of the match.

Two Royal teammates faced off for the 125 pound title, with Arturo Barajas getting a 13-7 victory over Omar Avelar. Barajas scored a pair of 3-point near falls late in the first round that would prove to be the difference in the match.

At 130 pounds, Royal's Sam Villegas maintained his undefeated record with a first round pin of Wahluke's Eric Valdez.

In the 135 pound championship, Andrew Butler of Royal received an injury default victory over teammate Angel Ledezma. Ledezma became ill Saturday afternoon, but is expected to be ready for the regional tournament this weekend.

Nels Toftdahl of Royal dominated Burbank's Kyle Rucker 15-4 for the 140 pound title. Toftdahl took Rucker down five times, and the Burbank wrestler's only points of the match came from escapes. A week ago, Toftdahl beat Rucker 10-9.

At 160 pounds, Royal's Brian Gilbert won a 14-3 decision over Warden's Jose Velez. Gilbert won the match by taking Velez down five times, the last of which resulted in a 3-point near fall to set the final margin in the match.

"It's the best I've seen him wrestle all year," said Orth. "I think he's peaking at the right time."

Warden wrestlers squared off for the 145 pound title, with A.J. Phillips overcoming an early Josh Guerra takedown to win the match 11-3.

Bowers was quite pleased with Guerra's performance Saturday.

"I'm really happy for Josh," said Bowers. "He's been working real hard, and this is his year."

At 215 pounds, Freddy Gutierrez recovered from an early takedown to defeat Warden teammate Robby Horn 6-3.

In the final contest of the evening, Warden's Nathan Alvarado defeated Royal's Trandon Benson by pin in the first round.

Warden's Joel Martinez (171 lbs.) and Justin Rollins (189 lbs.) each finished second in districts by winning close decisions in their semi-final matches.

Team scores: 1. Warden 390.5; 2. Royal 340; 3. Kittitas 142; 4. Pomeroy 122.5; 5. Burbank 65.5; 6. River View 61.5; 7. Wahluke 44; 8. Dayton 17.

Individual results (top four placers advance to regionals at Royal City):

103 - 1. Jesse Guerra (W); 2. Daniel O'Shaughnessy (K); 3. Frank Jiminez (W); 4. Ritchie Villafana (R), 5. Jose Tletelpa (Wah); 6. Justin Kimsey (RV); 112 - 1. Steven Elizalde (W); 2. Robert Langloss (K); 3. Colton Watt (RV); 4. Luis Olivares (R); 5. Josh Reyes (W); 6. Jerry Villa (R); 119 - 1. Jose Barajas (R); 2. Robert Pruneda (W); 3. Chencho Lopez (R); 4. Kyle Mullins (K); 5. Freddy Flores (W); 6. Elliot Carvo (Wah); 125 - 1. Arturo Barajas (R); 2. Omar Avelar (R); 3. Tye Knebel (P); 4. Chris Kalous (W); 5. Manuel Martinez (W); 6. Adan Avalos (K); 130 - 1. Sam Villegas (R); 2. Eric Valdez (Wah); 3. Arnoldo Martinez (W); 4. Willy Whipple (Day); 5. Carlos Landeros (W); 6. Patrick Schrader (B); 135 - 1. Andrew Butler (R); 2. Angel Ledezma (R); 3. West Holden (K); 4. Jesse Tennant (P); 5. Hugo Villanueva (Wah); 6. Chris Strawn (RV); 140 - 1. Nels Toftdahl (R); 2. Kyle Rucker (B); 3. Tyler Bray (K); 4. Aaron Pruneda (W); 5. Arturo Martinez (W); 6. Zach Hyer (P).

145 -1. Allen Phillips (W); 2. Josh Guerra (W); 3. Myles Melton (B); 4. Cody Brown (P); 5. Carson Baugher (K); 6. Daniel Schwehr (RV); 152 - 1. Anthony Martinez (W); 2. Ben Buck (RV); 3. Josh Mathis (R); 4. Scott Phillips (W); 5. Miles McGee (P); 6. Colton Therrian (P); 160 - 1. Brian Gilbert (R); 2. Jose Velez (W); 3. Kent Jenkins (P); 4. Jordan Thomas (R); 5. Joseph DesJardin (P); 6. Mike Reno (K); 171 - 1. Ryan Homer (B); 2. Joel Martinez (W); 3. Chase Clarke (K); 4. Brian Heitstuman (P); 5. Lucas Warren (R); 6. Ivan Cuevas (W); 189 - 1. Dustin Rebel (P); 2. Justin Rollins (W); 3. T.J. Hunt (R); 4. Jacob Christensen (R); 5. Kenny Guerra (W); 6. Russell Jones (K); 215 - 1. Freddy Gutierrez (W); 2. Robby Horn (W); 3. Josh Jones (K); 4. Edwin Barajas (R); 5. Ernesto Deras (R); 6. Cameron Homer (B); 275 - 1. Nathan Alvarado (W); 2. Trandon Benson (R); 3. Mike Riddell (RV); 4. Tony Martinez (W); 5. Bently Brist (K); 6. Warren DeVictoria (Wah).