Chiefs take down Grizzlies on senior night

MOSES LAKE — The Chiefs went out with a bang Thursday for senior night when Moses Lake knocked off the Sunnyside Grizzlies 51-14 in Columbia Basin Big Nine wrestling action.

Moses Lake senior wrestlers went undefeated to wrap up their dual meet careers in the win over Sunnyside.

The meet started at 215 pounds when Moses Lake senior Spencer Fackrell earned a 13-0 major decision over Sunnyside’s Franki Ochoa. Although Fackrell controlled his Sunnyside opponent, he was frustrated how the match finished.

“I kind of wished I would have either (earned a technical fall) or pinned him,” he said. “It is just a great feeling to win my last dual I’ll ever wrestle in high school.”

With the postseason looming over the Chiefs, Moses Lake head coach Jamie Wise said some of his wrestlers were able to test new techniques on the mat in live situations.

“Spencer was trying a lot of new things,” he said. “He is working on things and trying to get them polished up in a live situation.

Fackrell’s major decision victory gave the Chiefs a 4-0 lead and sophomore Kabe Fluaitt gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead when he earned a 5-1 decision over Sunnyside’s Adam Peters.

After the Chiefs took an early 7-0 lead over the Grizzlies, Moses Lake freshman Hayden Wise battled Sunnyside senior and 2008 state medalist Christian Reyes. Hayden Wise battled Reyes throughout their six-minute match before Reyes earned a 8-3 decision over the Moses Lake freshman.

Despite falling to the more experienced Reyes, coach Wise said Hayden Wise wrestled well.

“I was impressed with the way Hayden performed going up against a senior who had been winning a lot of tournaments,” he said. “Hayden hung in there and wrestled really well.”

Reyes’ victory at 103 pounds was the first of three consecutive Sunnyside wins. The second coming when 2008 3A state champion and senior Steven Romero earned a 17-2 technical fall victory over Moses Lake junior Andrew Valdez. Although Valdez lost by technical fall, coach Wise was impressed with the way Valdez competed with the defending state champion.

“Andrew wanted to wrestle that state champion,” he said. “That was nice that he was wanting to accept that type of a challenge to try and ready himself.”

The Chiefs fell again at 119 bounds and Sunnyside took a 11-7 lead over Moses Lake when freshman David Vidales earned an 11-7 decision over Chiefs sophomore Omar Suarez.

After Moses Lake fell behind 11-7, junior David Peralez got the Chiefs back on track at 125 pounds when he earned a 15-0 technical fall victory over Sunnyside’s Charlie Barajas. Peralez’s victory at 125 pounds helped the Chiefs reclaim the lead with a 12-11 advantage.

Following Peralez’s victory at 125 pounds, the Chiefs won the next three contests, all by pin to take a 30-11 lead. The first came when junior Ricco Moreno caught Nick Martinez shooting in and Moreno threw his opponent to the back for the first round fall.

Senior Cameron Chlarson followed Moreno at 135 pounds when he pinned Shawn Olivarez. Chlarson, an eighth-place finisher at the 2008 state tournament, forced Olivarez to his back before squeezing him for another Moses Lake victory.

Wise said he was impressed with how his senior battled at 135 pounds and never gave up when he had his opponent on his back.

“Once he had that locked up he didn’t let it go,” he said.

Chlarson’s victory at 135 pounds gave the Chiefs a 24-11 advantage before senior Tyler Vela stepped on the Moses Lake mat for the final time.

Vela battled Sunnyside senior Baltazar Avalos for two periods before Avalos took a 9-4 lead late in the third period.

With Vela trailing in his final match in front of the Moses Lake crowd, Vela tried to roll Avalos with less than a minute remaining. Vela put all of his weight and momentum into the roll.

Vela worked to roll Avalos and as Vela tried to roll his opponent, the wrestlers seemed to freeze for a moment before Vela’s momentum carried him through, rolling Avalos in the process. With both wrestlers hitting the mat, Vela found himself on top of Avalos and Avalos found himself with his shoulders on the mat for the third consecutive Moses Lake pin.

“I never give up,” Vela said. “You’ve got to keep fighting. That is what being a Chief is all about.”

Moses Lake’s streak of victories ended at four when senior Leroy Rodelo earned a 6-1 decision over Moses Lake sophomore Cameron Alvarado to cut the Moses Lake lead to 30-14.

With the Chiefs holding a 16-point advantage, senior and 2008 1A state champion Sammy Villegas stepped on the mat in front of the home crowd at 152 pounds against Caleb Gomez.

After the two shook hands, the referee blew his whistle to begin the match.

Villegas stepped back to collect himself before shooting in on Gomez. Villegas grabbed his opponent’s leg and he hoisted him in the air before taking him to the mat.

As the wrestlers fell to the ground, Gomez found himself out of position and Villegas fell on top of him. Gomez landed with his chest on the mat and legs over the back of him with Villegas following.

Gomez landed on the mat, injuring his back six seconds into the contest. Gomez rolled over with Villegas holding his opponent before members of the Moses Lake sports medicine staff and the Sunnyside coaches could tend to Gomez on the mat.

They braced Gomez’s neck before the EMTs could arrive. The EMTs took Gomez to the ambulance and Gomez was talking.

Wise said Villegas’ actions during the match possibly helped prevent the injury from being worse than it was.

“The way that kid turned and planted, Sammy saved him by pulling him back and pulling him back off of himself,” he said.

After Gomez left the gym, the meet continued at 160 pounds when Moses Lake junior Logan Phelps pinned David Huizar. The Chiefs earned another victory at 171 when junior Chris Lacelle earned a 13-12 decision over Lupe Mendoza.

The Chiefs earned a pin in the final match of the evening at 189 pounds when sophomore and 2008 state medalist Brian Chamberlain pinned Adrian Ramirez of Sunnyside.

After the victory, coach Wise said he is disappointed to be losing his senior class at the end of the season.

“I feel bad losing this group of seniors,” he said. “It is a really good group of kids.”