Othello wrestlers sweep double dual
Othello High School’s Anthony Trujillo relaxes the moment after picking up the win against Pullman’s Holden Chandler at 220 last Thursday evening in the second match of the double dual.
Casey McCarthy/Columbia Basin Herald
Othello High School’s Arturo Solorio matches up with his opponent on the mat in their bout at the 170-pound weight class last Thursday evening in Othello.
Othello’s Zak Rocha fights to free himself from the hold of his opponent, Gabe Smith, in their bout at 152 last Thursday evening at Othello High School.
Othello High School’s Adriel Flores fights to pin his opponent in his win over Pullman’s Mason Townsend in the 126 weight class last Thursday in Othello.
Othello's Isaac Campos holds his opponent before taking him back down to the mat in the home opener for the Huskies boys wrestling team last Thursday at Othello High School.
OTHELLO — The Othello High School boys wrestling team hosted a double dual on Thursday, with West Valley High School (Spokane) and Pullman High School visiting.
The Othello Huskies won both duals, defeating West Valley 66-16 in the opening matchup. Against West Valley, the Huskies had three forfeit victories at 113, 120 and 195. For Othello, Victorino De La Cruz (106), Miguel Amezola (132), Forrest Roylance (138), Zak Rocha (152), Arturo Solorio (170), Terrill Freeman (182), Brandon Garza (195), Damian Garza (220) and Josue Solorio (285) picked up wins in their respective weight classes.
The Huskies trounced Pullman 66-17 in the second dual on Thursday. Othello picked up five forfeit victories in the dual. De La Cruz (106), Adriel Flores (126), Amezola (132), Roylance (138), Arturo Solorio (170), Freeman (182), Garza (195), Anthony Trujillo (220 and Josue Solorio (285) captured wins in the second dual.
Othello opened the season on Monday on the road in a double dual with Shadle Park High School and North Central High School. Huskies boys wrestling head coach Rudy Ochoa II said it has been a long time for his wrestlers waiting to get on the mat this season and they have looked solid early on.
“We got to go on Monday; we wrestled at Shadle Park and the kids did an awesome job and we’ve kind of been focusing on the basics in the (wrestling) room,” Ochoa said. “The basics have looked really good and the same thing today, we just tried to carry over that same game plan.”
Ochoa said Arturo Solorio, a state contender in 2020, has looked really dialed in so far in this young “winter” season, adding that the senior has looked “as good as ever” and been smooth and tough this year. His brother Josue Solorio and Forrest Roylance are two other wrestlers Ochoa said have looked strong in the first week.
With practice time limited, Ochoa said he’s tried to pencil in the most important things to cover. Conditioning has been a focus early on as wrestlers adjust to wearing a mask on the mat.
While there is no postseason awaiting the wrestlers, Ochoa said his seniors particularly have a “self drive.”
“I can’t speak for them, but I don’t think it matters what tournament it is,” Ochoa said. “You see Arturo in the practice room and you’d think he was training for a national tournament, let alone a state tournament. I think our seniors all kind of have that mentality.”
Casey McCarthy can be reached via email at cmccarthy@columbiabasinherald.com.
