Moses Lake lassos Round-Up tourney title

PENDELTON, Ore. — The Moses Lake wrestling team traveled to Pendelton, Ore. for the Bronco Round-Up wrestling tournament and closed out 2008 with a championship performance.

The Chiefs capitalized on four individual champions, six finalists and 12 placers to sail to the team championship. Moses Lake tallied 364 points as they ran away with the championship by 54.5 points over second place Redmond (309.5).

Moses Lake head coach Jamie Wise said the tournament was a success.

“It went really well,” he said.

Moses Lake’s first champion came at 125 pounds when Ricco Moreno pinned Redmond’s Nick Coles. Ricco Moreno’s win in the finals sparked a string of three-consecutive champions for the Chiefs.

Nicco Moreno captured the 130 pound championship when he defeated Sean Soliz of Redmond 13-11 and Moses Lake’s Cameron Chlarson won the 135-pound weight class championship when he pinned Rodney Smith of Madras.

Moses Lake’s final champion came at 215 pounds when Spencer Fackrell pinned Ben Baca of Redmond.

The Chief’s other finalists came at 145 pounds when West Albany’s Jacob Richard pinned Thomas Pfeiffer, and at 189 pounds Taylor Johnson of Redmond pinned Moses Lake’s Brian Chamberlain.

The tournament was open to both varsity and junior varsity wrestlers and Wise said his wrestlers got a lot of matches.

“It was a lot like a district tournament, he said. “Our JV kids got a lot of matches coming through the back door.”

Moses Lake was without varsity wrestlers David Peralez at 125 pounds, Tyler Vela at 140 pounds and Sammy Villegas at 152 pounds.

Vela dislocated his elbow at the Tri-State Tournament last month and Villegas missed the Bronco Round-Up because of an illness.

Peralez wrestled one match at the tournament before Wise pulled him from the competition because Peralez was sick.

“This time of year it is better to sit them out,” Wise said.

The Chiefs return to the mat tonight when they travel to University High School in Spokane to participate in the Pacific Northwest Classic tournament.

“(The) University (tournament) will be tougher from top to bottom,” Wise said. “Every match is tougher and we are trying to see if they can back up their performances (at the Bronco Round-Up tournament). It’s kind of a mental test and a physical test.”

Tournament Results

1) Moses Lake 364

2) Redmond 309.5

3) Kelso 205

4) LaGrande 199

5) Madras 196

6) Pendleton 187

7) Mac-Hi 167.5

8) West Albany 167.5

9) Walla Walla 121

10) Culver 103

11) Riverside 90.5

12) Dayton 85.5

13) Irrigon 70

14) Nestucca 57.5

15) Umatilla 28

Championship Matches

103) Roman Holcomb (Pendleton) def.  Ryan Haney (Redmond) 9-2

112) Riley Miller (Kelso) def. Trevor Hancock (Pendleton) 5-1

119) Kurtis Giberson (Kelso) def. Dylan McCallum (LaGrande) 5-1

125) Ricco Moreno (Moses Lake) pinned Nick Coles (Redmond)

130) Nicco Moreno (Moses Lake) def. Sean Soliz (Redmond)

135) Cameron Chlarson (Moses Lake) pinned Rodney Smith (Madras)

140) Niko Hughes (Kelso) def. Trent Hardwick (LaGrande) 8-6

145) Jacob Richard (West Albany) pinned Thomas Pfeiffer (Moses Lake)

152) Jace Sargent (Mac-Hi) def. Kyle Sullivan (Irrigon) 12-1

160) Trey Haines (Walla Walla) def. Andy Godfrey (LaGrande) 10-4

171) John Tuck (LaGrande) def. Brigham Hansen (Riverside) 14-5

189) Taylor Johnson (Redmond) pinned Brian Chamberlain (Moses Lake)

215) Spencer Fackrell (Moses Lake) pinned Ben Baca (Redmond)

285) James Benson (Dayton) pinned Brandon Murphy (West Albany)