Rivals switch in wrestling rematch

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

After beating their rival Bulldog team, 45-36, in a match just the week before, the Moapa Valley High School Wrestling team again hosted Virgin Valley High School in a match on Wednesday, Jan 12. This time, though, the tables were turned. The Pirates lost to the Bulldogs last week, 57-18.

“We had kids out with COVID and others just out sick,” said MVHS Head Coach Ryan Anderson. “But mostly our guys just weren’t prepared and theirs were. They came out on fire and we were super-flat.”

Virgin Valley wrestlers won eight of the eleven contested matches in the meet. All but one of those were won by fall.
In the 120 lb. weight class Gavin Baird pinned Carter Wagasky for the win.

Decker Lee won by fall over Max Bromley for another Bulldog victory in the 126 lb weight class.

Sam Woods beat William Anderson by fall at 132 lbs.

Ruben Silveyra pinned Ty Jensen in the 139 lb division.

At 145 lbs. the Pirates got one of their three victories when Talon Schraft beat Josue DeSantiago by fall.

Bulldog wrestler Ethan Workman won by decision, 8-3, against Shandon Matheson in the 152 lb weight class.

Martin Jordan pinned Jared Evans at 160, and Cutler Crandall beat Jackson Burt by fall at 170.

At 182 lbs, Pirate Gavyn Frederick took down Bulldog Jacob Dominguez by fall for the Pirates second win of the match.

But Jaren Hafen overcame Grant Henrie in the 220 lb class to win another one by fall for the Bulldogs.

In the final match of the night, Moapa’s Jarett Jackman pulled off a win in the 285 lb weight class, pinning Bulldog wrestler Daxton Noel.

VVHS Head Coach Skyler Woods expressed satisfaction that some of his key wrestlers were back in action from illness and injury.

“It was good to get our starting 220-pounder, Jaren Hafen, and our starting 152-pounder, Ethan Workman, back in the lineup,” Woods said. “Both are seniors and they make our team better.”

Both teams had to miss some action last weekend due to the five-day pause imposed by the Clark County School District due to the spike in COVID rates in the region. But if all goes as planned, both the Pirates and the Bulldogs will snap back into action this week.

The Pirates are set to take on Chaparral and Sunrise Mountain high schools at Chaparral in Las Vegas on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
The Bulldogs are scheduled to host Boulder City and Eldorado also on Wednesday. Then they will attend the Chaparral Invitational tournament over the weekend in Las Vegas.