Wrestlers win at first home match

  Weiser hosted Timberline and Melba in the first duals of the wrestling season on Thursday, December 15. Weiser would win both duals. Quite a few of the Wolverine team points came via forfeits. However, there were at least two very exciting matches on the night and they came against Melba and near the end of the night. I don't want to get ahead of my own story so just keep your appetites whetted.
  Facing off against Timberline first, Weiser would win 54-9. Lionel Perez began for Weiser at 126 lbs. Perez took 3rd this past weekend in LaGrande. Perez would build a 11-2 lead in the first period and record the fall in the second at 3:34. At 132 lbs., Ty Alder, wrestling up a weight class had all he could handle dropping the match 11-4. Noah Hall at 138 lbs., is perhaps the most limber of our wrestlers and at one point had to bridge to keep from being pinned. Hall placed fourth at the LaGrande tourney. This match went the distance with Hall coming out on the short end losing 16-10. At 145 lbs., first year wrestler Erick Sanchez outlasted his man. Both were scoreless after the first period. Timberline picked the down position to begin the second period and Erick was able to turn his opponent to his back for the near fall and three points. That was the deciding factor as the final tally showed Sanchez with the win 3-0.
  Senior Mitch Svedin is as steady as they come. Not all his matches are spectacular but you can count on quality matches with him. Mitch would win by a single point 4-3 at 152 lbs. At 160 lbs., Matt Petero had an easier time just getting the fall with 12 seconds left in the first period. Matt Loughran did not have that luck at 170 lbs. First of all, he gave up 10 pounds to wrestle up. Loughran would lose 4-0. Nick Stephenson was the last wrestler for Weiser to actually wrestle. He too wrestled up at 182 lbs. He pinned his man at 1:51, just 9 seconds before the buzzer to end the first period. Masson Herrick, JD Johnson, Chris Beltran, Christian Oyervides and Alex Gomez all received forfeits.
  The Melba matches had a bit more excitement for the fans. Melba usually has some tough wrestlers. Do you recall the Johnshoys? Tough young men and state champions that thankfully have graduated. Weiser would win and forfeits had a hand in that as well, 51-23. Hall was up first. His match ended in a technical fall with the loss 18-1 at 4:57. Sanchez also lost by fall at 4:39. Svedin would record the fastest pin on the night for the good guys at 41 seconds. Petero lost by fall at 1:38. It wasn't looking so good for the Wolverines.
  Mason Herrick stepped onto the mat for his first ever high school wrestling match. Melba had a big guy too at 220 lbs. Herrick would record a take down. The Melba wrestler, Anthony Herrera escaped. Herrick took him down again and again, Herrera escaped. Herrera also was awarded a penalty point due to locked hands. Mason held the 4-3 lead after the first period. Melba chose both men up with Herrera taking Herrick down. It took some time but Mason was finally able to escape with only 30 seconds left to knot the score 5-5. Two minutes remained and Herrick looked all done in. At one point, he just laid on his back, I think when the buzzer sounded. Coach Drew Dickerson was trying to tell him what to do in the top of the third period and Mason just turned and said in a "what do you want" voice "What?" Herrera escaped to take the one point lead. Mason took him down only to be reversed. Herrick muscled his way to his feet and escaped. The score stood at 8-8 with less than a minute to wrestle. Who wanted it more? With 12 seconds to go, Mason went for it and muscled Herrera to the mat for the take down and the win, his first ever, 10-8. My oh My!
  JD Johnson had to follow that act and he did not disappoint either. Johnson would normally wrestle at 220 lbs., but Dickerson moved him up to take on the Melba Heavyweight Riley Crossley. Crossley would record a take down in the first period to lead 2-0. The second period began with both men up. Crossley went for the takedown. The two men hit the mat and Johnson did a headstand, landed on his feet while the two men were still locked together with their arms. Johnson rolled and put Crossley to his back. The pin came at 2:42. It is hard to describe exactly what happened in print but believe me when I say I have never seen anything like that and I wished I had a camera to take a picture of JD with feet in the air and then the rollout for the pin. Holy Cow!
  Enter Perez again. Lionel would control his match from the get go. Perez would lead 4-0 after the first period, 11-2 after the second and record the fal lat 4:51. Last to go was Hilario Manahano who put up a tough fight against a seasoned Melba wrestler. Hilario would subcomb to the fall at 4:21. Beltran, Oyervides and Gomez would each receive forfeits. It was a good night to be a Wolverine!