By John L. Braese
The Enterprise
NYSSA- For Nyssa wrestling coach Luke Cleaver, hosting the Calhoun Classic is the easy part. Taking the title at his own meet was a bit more difficult.
“This is not my first rodeo,” said Cleaver as he handled shuffling people around while coaching matches from the sidelines.
“I am always amazed at the amount of people who donate their time to put this on,” Cleaver said. “Everyone from the people running the match results back and forth, the guys putting the results online and all the rest of people that are here helping us out. It is just amazing how this is supported in the community.”
After all the planning and handling of teams not coming due to the weather while other teams called asking to join in after their meets were cancelled, Cleaver also had time to coach the Bulldogs to the tournament team title.
After all the matches finished up on Saturday, the Dawgs ended with 171 points, outdueling Fruitland, which finished with 160 points. Third place went to Caldwell with 144 points.
Finishing the tournament in the 18th spot were the Antelopes of Adrian. The finish was impressive as Lope wrestlers competed only on Friday and due to road conditions, were unable to make the trip to Nyssa on Saturday although six wrestlers were eligible to keep competing.
Vale was originally scheduled to compete in La Grande at the Mullenberg tournament but that meet was scrubbed because of wintry freeway conditions. The Vikings traveled Nyssa, finishing 22.
The Bulldogs also saw their share of individual medals.
Heath Hartley was first in the 120-pound class after pinning Borah’s Johnny Winn at the 2 minute, 28 second mark of the match. Teammate Dominick Madrid settled for fourth place in the 113-pound class after falling to Borah’s Sebastian Peterson in the battle for third place.
In the match for third place in the 138-pound class, two Nyssa wrestlers faced each other. At the whistle, Ryan Vineyard outpointed Chris Acosta 4-2 for third place.
At 145 pounds, Bulldog Elijah Cleaver took the crown with a 4-3 decision over Nampa’s Temana Tuha. The 160-pound match found Nyssa’s Dearden Woodruff taking second place after falling to Caldwell’s Tevin Sio by pin.
The Dawg’s Jose Candelas also found himself in second place after falling to Bishop Kelly’s Jake Stone in overtime. Candelas fell in a tough 3-1 decision in the 195-pound class.
At 220 pounds, Nyssa’s Jose Sanchez also took second after falling 15-6 to Payette’s Alex Barbion in the championship match.
The Nyssa squad next takes to the road to Redmond to compete in the Adrian Irwin Memorial on Friday.
Adrian was in Marsing on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Due to press time, results were unavailable.
Vale travels to the John Rysdam Tournament in Elgin on Friday.
The tournament has become a staple for the Vikings as the tournament honors a father of a Vale teacher.
Team scores: 1. Nyssa, 171. 2. Fruitland, 160. 3. Caldwell, 144. 4. Kuna, 111. 5. Bishop Kelly, 108. 6. Borah, 102. 7. Nampa, 95.5. 8. Parma, 90.5. 9. New Plymouth, 65.5. 10. Middleton, 61. 11. Emmett, 45. 12. Payette, 44. 13. Melba, 39.5. 14. Marsing, 31. 15. McCall, 28. 16. Pine Eagle, 16. 17. Homedale, 14. 18. Adrian, 12. 19. Echo, 10. 20. Ontario, 10. 21. Grant Union, 6. 22. Vale, 4.
106 results: First place: Cameron Williams (Melba) over Oscar Gonzalez (Caldwell) by fall 5:12. Third place: Nathaniel Nesbitt (New Plymouth) over Jackson Rudkin (Parma) by fall 2:31.
113 results: First place: Kreede Peterson (Kuna) over Dalton Arnzen (Fruitland) by dec. 6-0. Third place: Sebastian Peterson (Borah) over Dominick Madrid (Nyssa) by fall 2:18.
120 results: First place: Heath Hartley (Nyssa) over Johnny Winn (Borah) by fall 2:28. Third place: Gabe Figeroa (Caldwell) over Martin Flores (Parma) by dec. 7-5.
126 results: First place: Joe Rice (New Plymouth) over Peter Huntsman (Borah) by dec. 4-2. Third place: Emmanuel Cerros (Caldwell) over Kieran Bruns (Bishop Kelly) by dec. 7-3.
132 results: First place: Raphie Rodriguez (Bishop Kelly) over Monte Zufelt (Emmett) by dec. 4-3. Third place: Brady Barroso (Kuna) over Tryston Hutchinson (Middleton) by dec. 7-3.
138 results: First place: Sammy Eckhart (Fruitland) over Jon Ryan (Nampa) by fall. Third place: Ryan Vineyard (Nyssa) over Christoper Acosta (Nyssa) by dec. 4-2.
145 results: First place: Elijah Cleaver (Nyssa) over Temana Tuha (Nampa) by dec. 4-3. Third place: Kaden Cobb (Kuna) over Matt Baca (Bishop Kelly) by dec. 5-3.
152 results: First place: Jesse Camacho (Parma) over Drake Nabinger-Villarin (Emmett) by fall. Third place: Manolo Tamez (Nampa) over Brady Davenport (Kuna) by dec. 3-1.
160 results: First place: Tevin Sio (Caldwell) over Dearden Woodruff (Nyssa) by fall. Third place: Chris Doiron (Bishop Kelly) over Oscar Gonzales (Marsing) by fall.
170 results: First place: Ben Solis (Caldwell) over Corbin Black (Kuna) by dec. 12-7. Third place: Kash Anderson (Bishop Kelly) over Canaan Bourcy (Fruitland) by dec. 5-1.
182 results: First place: Jonathon Fagen (Fruitland) over Brennan Lucarelli (Middleton) by dec. 7-2. Third place: Dallin Beus (New Plymouth) over Joseph Aguilar (Pine Eagle) by fall.
195 results: First place: Jake Stone (Bishop Kelly) over Jose Candelas (Nyssa) in overtime, 3-1. Third place: Eric Collins (Fruitland) over Tyson Eastman (McCall) by fall.
220 results: Frist place: Alex Barbion (Payette) over Jose Sanchez (Nyssa) by major dec. 15-6. Third place: Travis Mitchell (Caldwell) over Mason Hall (Marsing) by fall.
285 results: First place: George Barerra (Borah) over Jon Ingram (Fruitland) by fall. Third place: Brian Jackson (Parma) over over Marcus Crespin (Nampa) by fall.