For the week of January 15 - 21, 2003

Wrestlers make an impression

At tough Buhl tourney

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The Wolverines have lost reigning state champion Matt Conover to knee surgery, but that doesn’t mean the Wood River High School wrestling team is without resources.

Coach Danny Turner’s Hailey squad made an impression at the tough, 29th annual Buhl Invitational last weekend by placing 11th of 17 teams with 52 points—ahead of teams like Jerome and Declo.

Wood River’s nine wrestlers had a 12-17 record and five made it to Saturday’s final day. Snake River of Moreland won the team title with 195.5 points. Elko (Nev.) had 146.

Junior Duane Miller (11-5 season) posted the best result, placing second in the 135-pound class with a hard-fought 8-3 loss to two-time state champion Travis Stone of Gooding. It was the only championship match pitting two Magic Valley wrestlers.

Turner said, "Stone is a big, strong kid, but I think we found a way to wrestle him—try to take him down. That’s important because Stone wrestles in our conference."

His effort against Stone and Miller’s 4-2 semi-final victory over #2-ranked Cody Plant of Snake River "put Duey’s name on the map," according to Turner. Miller, now ranked #5 in Idaho, ended up winning three matches at the meet.

Another junior, Robert Wiesen (11-5), made it to the semi-finals at 145 pounds and finished 3-2 for the two-day tournament. Senior Casey Markwell (6-7) won his first match at 189 and added two pins to finish 3-2.

"Casey has been wrestling tough," said Turner. "I was pleased with the way our varsity wrestled."

Junior Brandon Silvia (6-6) won two matches at 152 pounds and lost a close 3-1 decision to eventual second-place Blake Higley of Kimberly. Josh Orchard (6-6) collected a 12-2 decision at 119 pounds.

Considering Wood River’s tough early-season slate, Turner believed Saturday’s sophomore-freshman tourney in Twin Falls would instill more confidence in the younger wrestlers.

Seven wrestled there. All enjoyed some success. Freshmen Sid Watson at 103 and Dustin Selner at 215 pinned all three of their foes. Tim Vert won two matches at 140, while T.J. Squires had a pin and a 15-point technical fall at 171.

Dual win in Twin

Turner’s Wood River squad earned a 51-30 dual meet victory over host Twin Falls last Wednesday, and Hailey also dropped a hard-fought 42-33 dual to Century of Pocatello.

The coach said, "The kids got a feel of what a tough dual meet is. They’re stepping it up, wrestling exciting matches."

Against Twin Falls, Wiesen (1:20) and Adams (0:56) logged a pair of first-round pins at 145 and 152 pounds, and Tim Vert pinned at 2:37 at 135 pounds. Silvia had a 5-4 decision over A.J. Stone at 160.

Wood River (2-4 duals) also won five weight classes by forfeit. Winners were Watson, Genii Vert, Josh Orchard, Miller and Chris Heywood.

Highlight of the dual meet against Century was Orchard’s 15-14 decision over Josh Miller at 119. Orchard trailed by nine points in the third, then rallied with two escapes, one takedown, one near fall and the decisive takedown at the end.

Miller pinned at 140, Wiesen won 5-2 at 145, Adams pinned at 152 and Lyons won a 9-5 decision at 171. Winning by pin were Markwell (42 seconds) and Dussell (2:55).

 

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