Huskies take down Prosser on Senior Night
Senior Isaiah Perez took just over 30 seconds to secure the pin in his final home bout for the Huskies on Thursday night.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Othello senior Liddel Giles picks up the first-round pin in the final bout of the Huskies’ dual with Prosser on Senior Night Thursday.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Andy Deleon Jr. works to gain some late points in the third round as the Othello wrestler took the 7-2 decision in his bout at 126.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald Othello’s Kyler Freeman reverses his fortune midway through the opening round, picking up the pin 1:27 into the bout.
OTHELLO — Othello boys wrestling picked up the dual win over Prosser on Senior Night, 54-18.
Senior Eric Gomez took the forfeit victory at 195 for Othello to kick things off on the mat. Fellow senior Elijah Roylance took the forfeit win at 220 before accepting a match as well, picking up the pin in the first round.
In the first bout of the evening, two-time state champion Isaiah Perez’s last home bout for the Huskies provided a fitting swan song as Perez picked up the pin 32 seconds into the first round.
At 106, Justin Martinez fell to Prosser’s Able Acosta 1:09 into the opening round to give the visitors their first points. Josiah Barrera took the forfeit win for Othello at 113, while Prosser’s Reyden Huizar got the forfeit win at 120.
Andy Deleon Jr. went a full six minutes in his bout at 126, taking the 7-2 decision over Angel Martinez. Kyler Freeman looked like he might be down and out in his matchup at 132, before turning Prosser’s Connor Thompson’s potential pin into a pin of his own with 0:33 left on the clock of the first round.
Senior Jaxon Rocha took the forfeit victory at 138.
Holding on in the final moments of the third round, senior Andrew Velazquez took the narrow win over Nehemiah Medrano with a 10-8 decision. Top-ranked Arturo Solario took the forfeit win at 152.
Nathan Garza Jr. picked up the first round pin 0:21 seconds into his bout in the 160 weight class. Freshman Brandon Garza fell in the third round at 170, with Prosser’s third-ranked Logan Candenoza picking up the pin 1:29 into the third round.
In the final bout of the night, senior Liddel Giles secured the pin 1:31 into the second round as Othello wraps up their home schedule this regular season.
Huskies head coach Rudy Ochoa II said he was relieved to just get some guys back who’ve missed time on the mat.
“That feels good to see some familiar faces back,” Ochoa said. “I’m just excited with how we’re wrestling right now. We’ve gotten healthier, and we’re just trying to get as healthy as we can and stay healthy this final stretch.”
Having his team feeling as good as he can heading towards the postseason is always something you want, Ochoa said. The Othello coach likes how his team is wrestling as January comes to a close.
Toppenish sits atop all classifications in the rankings, and Ochoa knows what his team’s up against with the conference rival.
Rumble in the Valley
Team scores: 1. Toppenish 236.5, 2. Othello 168.5.
Othello placers: 138, Jaxon Rocha, 5th; 145, Arturo Solario, 1st; 152, Jonathan Gomez, 4th; 160, Nathan Garza, 4th; 182, Eric Gomez, 1st; 182, Alexis Espindola, 2nd; 220, Josue Solorio, 3rd; 220, Elijah Roylance, 1st; 285, Isaiah Perez, 1st.
Grandview Girls Invite
Team scores: 1. Hanford 184, 2. Othello 163, 11. Warden 57.
Othello placers: 110, Alexis Monday, 4th; 110, Emily Mendez, 1st; 115, Iyazely Barraza, 4th.
Royal placers: 155, Alondra Morales, 4th.
Warden placers: 100, Aaliyah Escamilla, 4th.
