Wrestling: Trojans finish second at 29-school Spring Creek Invitational

The Trojans wrestling team came home from the Spring Creek Kiwanis Invitational, a 29-school tournament in Northern Nevada, with a second place. Last year’s state championship team was first with 224 points, Pahrump was second with 194 points and Caldwell was third with 171.5 points.

Teams from south and north Nevada, Idaho and Oregon converged on Spring Valley for the invitational.

Seven Trojans placed in the top five of their respective weight classes. Senior Jax Clayton at 195 pounds placed first. Seniors Jace Clayton at 285 pounds and Jeremy Coates at 220 pounds placed second. Seniors Samuel Tucsnak at 170 pounds, Jonathan Corrow at 182 pounds and junior Gino Gusman at 120 pounds placed third. Finally, senior Sam Brophy at 145 pounds placed fifth.

Trojans Coach Craig Rieger said the trip was “informational and knowledgeable.”

“We found out what we needed to — we got to see the north. We learned a lot. The boys traveled well and wrestled well after a long trip,” Rieger said.

Wrestling Summary:

Senior Joseph Zarabozo at 106 pounds scored seven team points. He won his first match by forfeit. He lost his second match by a pin to a tough Caldwell, Idaho opponent. He soundly beat his third and fourth opponents by pins in 25 and 60 seconds. He beat his fifth opponent by a decision of 9-4 in overtime. In his final round, he lost by decision 1-5. Zarabozo’s season record stands at 13-9.

Sophomore Nathan Trudeau at 113 pounds is the youngest wrestler on the varsity team. He won two matches by forfeit and lost two matches by pins. Trudeau’s second opponent ended up winning fourth place. Trudeau’s season record stands at 4-10.

Junior Gino Gusman at 120 pounds placed fourth and won 20 team points. He won his first match by forfeit. He pinned his second Churchill County opponent in 4:39. He lost his third bout by a close decision of 8-11 to a Reno opponent. He beat his fourth, fifth and sixth opponents by a pin in 18 seconds, a pin in 35 seconds and a decision of 5-2. In his final bout, he again wrestled the same Reno opponent he lost to in his third bout, losing 2-5 and placing fourth. Gusman’s season record stands at 15-3.

Junior Antonio Sandoval at 126 pounds scored eight team points. He beat his first Reno opponent by decision 13-12 and lost his second bout by a pin to a Yerington opponent. He soundly beat his third and fourth Lowry and Caldwell opponents by pins in 5:34 and 4:15 and lost his fifth round by pin to a Reno opponent. Sandoval’s season record stands at 14-5.

Senior Nick Nelson at 132 pounds scored three team points. He lost his first bout to a Caldwell opponent by a pin. He beat his second Churchill County opponent with a pin in 18 seconds. He lost his third match to a Virgin Valley opponent by a decision of 4-9. Nelson’s season record stands at 7-4.

Senior Levi Gundacker at 138 pounds scored nine team points. He won his first match by forfeit. He beat his second Twin Falls opponent with a pin in 3:04. He lost his third bout to a very tough White Pine opponent who eventually won second place in the tournament. Gundacker came back strong pinning his fourth, North Valley opponent in 16 seconds. He lost his fifth bout by decision of 1-7, to a Churchill County opponent. Gundacker’s season record stands at 13-7.

Senior Sam Brophy at 145 pounds placed fifth and scored 17 team points. Brophy beat his first three, Reed, Churchill and Elko opponents by pins in 3:03, 1:52 and 1:27. He lost his fourth and fifth bouts to Caldwell and a second Reed opponent, by decisions of 0-6 and a very narrow 3-4. In Brophy’s final match, he beat his Twin Falls opponent by decision of 8-3. His record stands at 16-2.

Senior John Clark at 152 pounds scored eight team points. Clark lost his first round to a Minico opponent. Clark came back holding strong and beating his second, third, fourth and fifth, Lowry, second Minico, Virgin Valley and Caldwell opponents by a pin at 2:28, a decision of 10-7, a decision of 10-8 and a pin at 3:50. Clark lost his sixth and final bout to another Lowry opponent. Clark’s season record stands at 6-8.

Senior Anthony Vega at 160 pounds scored five team points. Vega pinned his first Wooster opponent in 40 seconds. He lost his second bout to a Reno opponent. He beat his third Wells opponent by decision of 8-4. He lost his fourth and final bout by pin to a Minico opponent. Vega’s season record stands at 3-3.

Senior Samuel Tucsnak at 170 pounds placed fourth and scored 18 team points. He won his first match with a forfeit. He beat his second and third Buhl and Lowry opponents by a pin in 1:40 and a decision of 7-2. In his fourth bout, Tucsnak was beaten by major decision by his Reno opponent. Tucsnak is one tough wrestler who came back strong to beat his fifth Wells opponent by a pin in 3:49. In his final bout, his Lowry opponent beat him with a very narrow 5-4 decision. Tucsnak’s season record stands at 19-6.

Senior Jonathan Corrow at 182 pounds placed fourth and scored 19 team points. Corrow won his first match with a forfeit. He pinned his second and third Caldwell and Wooster opponents in 0:44 and 3:44. He lost his fourth bout by pin to his Battle Mountain opponent. Corrow came back with his usual form to beat a second Caldwell opponent by major decision of 11-0. He lost to his final Twin Falls opponent by another pin. Corrow’s season record stands at 18-5.

Senior Abraham Preciado at 182 pounds wrestled as an “extra” at the invitational. As such, he was not allowed to score team points for his wins. Preciado won his first match with a forfeit. He pinned his second Moapa Valley opponent in 3:07 and lost his third bout to a pin. Preciado came back strong to pin his fifth Wells opponent in 4:36. He lost his last bout to a Spring Creek opponent by a narrow 4-6 decision. Preciado’s season record stands at 7-3.

Senior Jax Clayton at 195 pounds placed first and scored 30 team points. He won his first match with a forfeit. He pinned his second Elko opponent in 33 seconds and his third opponent in 2:32. He pinned his fourth Wells opponent in 3:45 and finally won the championship title with a decision of 5-4 against his Reno opponent. Jax’s season record stands at 19-3.

Senior Brandon Dirrigl at 220 pounds wrestled as Pahrump’s second “extra.” Dirrigl won his first match by forfeit. He lost by a pin from his second Elko opponent. He pinned his third Carlin opponent in 0:35, and his fourth Churchill County opponent he beat by decision of 10-4. Dirrigl lost his final bout to Reno by a decision of 9-12. His season record stands at 7-4.

Senior Jeremy Coates at 220 pounds placed second and scored 24 team points. He won his first match by forfeit. In his second, third and fourth bouts he beat his Reed, Spring Creek and Nyssa opponents with a pin in 1:30, a decision of 5-0 and a pin in 4:45. In his final championship bout, he lost by a very narrow decision of 2-4 to his Shoshone opponent. Coates’ season record stands at 18-5.

Senior Jace Clayton at 285 pounds placed second and scored 26 team points. Jace won his first match by forfeit. He pinned his second, third and fourth, Adrien, Yerington and Nyssa opponents with rousing times of 0:45, 0:29 and 1:30. In his championship bout, Jace faced the same Lowry opponent who denied Jace the first place state championship last year—at state. Again, the same opponent, now a Lowry senior, beat Jace to the championship with a 0-5 decision. Jace’s season record stands at 17-6.