A young Wood River High School wrestling team hosted the combined Oakley/Raft River squad Tuesday in the 2006-07 home opener on the Hailey school's mat.
Recording five pins and six forfeit wins, Oakley/Raft River prevailed 66-15 in a non-conference dual meet that featured many first-round falls and lasted just under an hour.
First-year Wolverine coach Tyson Young had 17 wrestlers on his roster—nine freshmen—so many of the matches went to Oakley/Raft River as forfeits because the Hailey freshmen were junior varsity athletes. Exhibition matches were held.
Wood River 189-pound senior and returning state tournament competitor Jordan Vert won the evening's most exciting clash, a hard-fought 2-1 decision over Macade Peterson of Oakley/Raft River.
Vert got the first takedown halfway through the first two-minute period and stayed on top to maintain his 2-0 lead through the second. Vert fought hard to preserve the lead and held on for the 2-1 decision.
Wood River junior Cameron Rendahl (171) and freshman Bo Zak (189) won by forfeits.
Freshman Tanner Orchard had a tough assignment drawing senior Ace Jones of Oakley/Raft River, who placed fourth at 130 pounds in the State 2A tournament last February. Jones is trying to fill the big shoes of Oakley's Steven Terry, who graduated state king at 140 with a 40-1 record.
Jones led Orchard by only 2-0 after the first period, but Jones won by pin at 2:35 putting his team ahead 42-0 in the seventh of 14 classes.
Wood River hosts Century's Diamondbacks tonight at 6 in another Hailey home dual meet.
Oakley/Raft River 66, WR 15
103—Ty Earl (O/RR) won by forfeit.
112—Jesus Arteaga (O/RR) won by forfeit. Exhibition: Arteaga pin 0:35 Brandon Vilcapoma (WR).
119—Ryan Kingsland (O/RR) pin 1:12 Nick Chase (WR).
125—Caleb Greenwell (O/RR) by forfeit. Exhibition: Greenwell pin 2:56 Trevor Tamaz-Davidso (WR).
130—Ethan Bench (O/RR) pin 2:33 Spencer Bailey (WR).
135—Tyler Saylor (O/RR) won by forfeit. Exhibition: Saylor pin 1:55 Jon Diem (WR).
140—Ace Jones (O/RR) pin 2:35 Tanner Orchard (WR).
145—Andrew Gilbert (O/RR) won by forfeit. Exhibition. Gilbert pin 1:04 Matt Lichtenberg (WR).
152—Reagan Ward (O/RR) won by forfeit. Exhibitions: Ward pin 0:31 Brandon Baertschi (WR) and Brian Babbitt (O/RR) pin 1:40 Juve Ruiz (WR).
160—Brock Muhlestein (O/RR) pin 1:46 Alex Jones (WR).
171—Cameron Rendahl (WR) won by forfeit.
189—Jordan Vert (WR) won 2-1 over Macade Peterson (O/RR).
215—Bo Zak (WR) won by forfeit.
275—Joseph "J.J." Thomson (WR) lost by pin 0:45.
Wood River?s Jordan Vert takes down Macade Peterson in the 189-pound class in Hailey Tuesday against a team from Oakley and Raft River. Vert won the match in a 2-1 decision. Photo by David N. Seelig
