WRESTLING: Trojans finish 19th overall out of 74 at Las Vegas Holiday Classic

Friday and Saturday eight elite Trojan wrestlers participated in an annual nationwide 74-team wrestling event at the Las Vegas Convention Center, which is known as the Las Vegas Holiday Classic. Teams of all divisions across the nation, and as far as Washington D.C., participated in the event.

The Trojans represented Pahrump well, placing a notable 19th overall in the event, and giving the Trojans the opportunity to wrestle highly competitive opponents across the states and outside of the Division 1-A.

Through wrestling a complicated 64-man bracket, the Trojan top five weight classes really shone, each placing in the top seven of their brackets. These five are part of the Trojans seasoned, state championship experienced, wrestlers who repeatedly place Pahrump prominently on Nevada’s wrestling map.

Senior Jace Clayton at 285 pounds placed fourth overall. He won his first match by forfeit, his second by pinning his opponent in 1:22, and his third with a pin in 1:45, placing Jace in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, he beat his opponent by a close decision of 3-2. In the semifinals, Jace suffered a wrenching loss by decision of 2-7 to his Yorba Linda opponent who eventually won the first place championship. This loss placed Jace in the consolation semifinals, where he beat his opponent with a decisive pin in 3:40. In Jace’s final bout with a Liberty opponent, Jace lost by a close 5-1 decision, placing Jace fourth in the Classic’s 285-pound weight class. Jace scored 22 of the Trojans’ 100 points at the two-day tournament. He has an overall season record of 11-5.

Senior Jeremy Coates at 220 pounds placed fifth overall. He won his first round by forfeit, his second by pin in 1:05 and his third by pin in 3:18. In the quarterfinals, Coates lost by decision of 7-2. From this loss, Coates battled his way back to the consolation semifinal with a close win by decision of 4-2 and a pin in 3:32. In the consolation semifinal, he suffered a loss by pin, placing him in a final bout for fifth place against a Division 1 Palo Verde opponent with a season record of 20-3. Coates roused the Pahrump fans to their feet, beating this opponent with a pin in 2:46, and placing fifth in the Classic. Coates scored 21 of the Trojans’ 100 team points, and has an overall season record of 13-4.

Senior Jaxon Clayton at 195 pounds placed fifth overall. He won his first match with a forfeit, his second, third and fourth bouts with rousing pins in 57 seconds, 1:25 and 3:16. In Jax’s fifth, semifinal’s bout, he suffered an agonizing close loss by decision of 3-4, followed by a consolation semifinals loss by pin to an opponent who ended up in second place overall. This placed Jax against his final opponent from Brawley, California, where Jax beat him by a 12-5 decision, placing Jax fifth overall at the Classic. Jax scored 21 of the Trojans’ 100 team points, and leaves the Classic with an overall season record of 13-3.

Senior Jonathan Corrow at 182 pounds placed seventh overall. He won his first match by forfeit, his second with pin in 2:49 and his third by decision of 6-0. Corrow suffered a loss by a close decision of 2-4 in a “sudden victory” to his fourth opponent. In this bout, he and his Cimarron Memorial High School opponent finished the normal three rounds 2-2, causing an overtime of one minute, where the first opponent to win a point wins. In this overtime round, Corrow’s opponent got a takedown, earning two points and closely beating Corrow. From this quarterfinals loss, Corrow came back with victories over his final three opponents, beating them with a pins in 2:59 and 3:00 and a decision of 11-7, earning seventh place overall at the Classic. Corrow earned 13 of the Trojans 100 points at the tournament and has an overall season record of 13-3.

Senior Samuel Tucsnak at 170 pounds placed fifth overall. He won his first match by forfeit, and his second and third with pins at 1:58 and 4:50. He suffered a loss by pin to his fourth opponent from Holy Cross High School in New Orleans, who eventually won first place.

He came back strong, beating his fifth opponent with a pin in 3:27, but kept the Pahrump fans on pins and needles as he edged out his sixth win over an Ironwood High School, Arizona opponent with a victory by decision of 3-0. In his seventh round, a consolation semifinals round, Tucsnak was beaten by a Foothill High School Division 1 opponent by decision 4-8. The Pahrump fans roared as he beat his final opponent in a 5-1 decision, earning fifth place at the tournament. Tucsnak earned 19 of the Trojans’ 100 points at the tournament and has an overall season record of 14-3.

Three lower-weight Trojans also represented Pahrump at the event. Indeed, each is a veteran wrestler of the Nevada state Division 1-A tournament.

Senior Joseph Zarabozo at 106 pounds, didn’t place at the Classic, but wrestled with passion. He lost by a pin near the end of his second round, to his first opponent from Victor Valley, who eventually won sixth place. Zarabozo won his second round by forfeit. In his third round, Zarabozo faced an opponent from Liberty High School who beat Zarabozo by major decision of 0-14. These losses kicked Zarabozo out of the championship and consolation brackets and placed him in a “hard luck” bracket on the second day. Zarabozo lost his first hard luck bout in a close 6-5 decision, and came back strong to beat his final opponent with a pin in 1:11. Zarabozo finishes the Classic with a season record thus far of 8-7 and gained valuable experience.

Senior Nick Nelson at 132 pounds, wrestled 2-2 the first day at the classic. He lost his first bout by a pin halfway through his third round. He beat his second and third opponents with a pin at 4:33 and decision of 4-2. He suffered a loss by decision of 4-9 in his fourth round of the first day. The second loss, his fourth match of the day, and his third consolation round, cost him the opportunity of wrestling on the second tournament day due to a Holiday Classic rule. Nelson and fellow Trojan Antonio Sandoval have traded places in the 132-pound varsity position this season due to within-team wrestle-offs; the new year could see either Sandoval or Nelson in the varsity Trojan 132-pound weight class. Nelson finishes the Classic with a 3-2 season record.

Senior Levi Gundacker at 138 pounds, an accomplished, seasoned state wrestler, suffered losses of his first two bouts by decisions of 5-10 and 5-9 on the first day of the Classic. This immediately kicked Gundacker out of the championship and consolation rounds and caused him to wrestle in the “hard luck” bracket on the second day.

As Trojans fans know, Gundacker is one tough wrestler, who wrestles in one tough weight class, who suffered a bad day. In the hard luck bracket on the second day of wrestling, Gundacker earned back his reputation for great wrestling, beating his opponents with decisive victories of pins in 1:21 and 34 seconds. This earned Levi first place in the hard luck bracket. Gundacker finishes the Classic with a overall season record of 9-5.

The Trojan Wrestlers show great skill and passion on the mat, and are poised to make great victories in this season’s matches and tournaments and at league, region and state wrestling.