Cv’s Reese Lifts Bears Past Mead
Central Valley’s 34-31 victory over Mead in a match of Greater Spokane League wrestling unbeatens was decided in the night’s final match between a pair of state-placing veterans.
CV’s John Reese, who was fourth in state at 108 pounds last year, throttled last year’s 115-pound state runner-up, Jon Rugan, with a 23-8 technical fall to lift the Bears (2-0) past the Panthers (2-1).
It was culmination of a nail-biter in which Mead rallied from a 29-18 deficit to lead by two points going into the final match.
And there are more such matches to come.
“Welcome to the GSL,” said Ethridge of the thriller. “We still have Gonzaga Prep and U-Hi (to go) and they will be just like it.”
In the night’s other matches, the unbeaten Bullpups (3-0) whipped Lewis and Clark 47-12, Rogers (2-1) surprised North Central (0-2) 45-20 and Ferris (1-2) whipped Shadle Park (0-3) 56-13.
The Reese-Rugan meeting was the first GSL encounter for the two, although they had wrestled before in freestyle events.
“(Teammate) Shane Cunanan has wrestled Rugan,” said Reese. “He drilled me and kind of prepared me. I was working on leg rides in this one and every time we scrambled and I could get a five-point maneuver, I got it.”
The Bears led 29-18 with four matches remaining by winning four of five matches.
But a pair of early victories by Mead’s Tom Nelson and Tony Curtis at 129 and 135 pounds gave the Panthers cause for hope.
“When we lost those,” said CV coach Dale Ethridge, “I thought we were in for a long night.”
And when Joe Collier locked up with Will Beck in a clash of football behemoths, the electricity level in the stands rose.
They danced around for a minute, the match stopped often by Beck’s early nose bleed.
Then the 6-7, 250-pound Collier squashed the 275-pound Beck.
“I kind of like pinned him, you know,” offered the taller Collier. “Probably a little leverage was helpful.”
The Panthers added decisions by Mark Denholm and Jesse McCarty to take a two-point lead.
Reese chilled the party.
Gonzaga remained atop the GSL with its easy win over LC. The Bullpups won six straight matches for a 23-0 lead. Included was Sean Malone’s 11-9 win over Dan Wittenberg in which he got two last-period near falls. Pat Rusca escaped in the third period for a 3-2 win over Derek Johnson.
Later, Nick Sullivan scored six third-period points to beat former Bullpup Joe Ireland at 215 pounds.
Rogers built a 30-4 lead over NC and freshman 158-pounder Ryan Anstrom shocked NC state veteran Brian Thatcher 5-0 to put the exclamation mark on the Pirate victory.
Ferris pulled away from Shadle with wins in the night’s final eight matches. Included was Jeremy Morton’s 15-second pin at 215.
, DataTimes