LAKEPORT — It was Clear Lake vs. Upper Lake and Campos vs. Campos on Wednesday night as the two Coastal Mountain Conference wrestling teams squared off in Lakeport.
Upper Lake, the defending CMC champion, won 44-30 after dispatching St. Helena 62-18 earlier in the evening. The Cougars improved to 4-0 in the conference standings and, with wins over Willits and Clear Lake now behind them, are in excellent position to claim another CMC crown.
“I thought Clear Lake, Willits and us were the teams to beat this year,” Upper Lake head coach Tom Cox said. “We still have to face Fort Bragg and Kelseyville, but I”m confident.”
Wednesday”s match marked the first time Ron Campos, an assistant coach with the Cougars, squared off against son Ronnie, the first-year head coach at Clear Lake.
“I have to say going head to head with my dad was scary and really fun, but to me he really proved that I had a lot to learn,” Clear Lake”s Ronnie Campos said. “If you want to be the best you have to beat the best and for now he still and always will be to me.”
“I was so proud of both of them, they were great,” Cox said. “There was good sportsmanship all around on both sides.”
While Upper Lake jumped out to a 15-0 lead after posting wins in the first weight class matches, Cox said the Cardinals rallied to make it interesting and never stopped fighting. Of the 11 contested weight divisions, Clear Lake won six of them. Upper Lake picked up 18 points after collecting forfeits at 105, 121 and 127 pounds.
“Great efforts by both teams,” Cox said. “It showed what the best part of high school sports can be about.”
The dual opened with the 132-pound match and Upper Lake”s Ward Beecher pinned Brandon Holt in the second round. Robert Simondi followed with a 10-3 decision over Clear Lake”s Mike DeAngelo at 137 pounds, and Upper Lake”s Nick Davison pinned Nathan Powers 23 seconds into the third round at 142 pounds. Powers, only a freshman, entered the final round tied 6-6 with the more experienced Davison.
“For a freshman he”s very good,” Cox said of Powers. “Nick had to fight his way off his back in the first round.”
Clear Lake”s first win came at 147 pounds where Robby Hammers pinned Emily Knispel in the first round.
“Emily took one for the team,” said Cox, explaining that the Cougars moved their usual 147-pounder, Bruce Tucker, up to 154 pounds. Tucker beat Josh Larsen by 16-0 technical fall.
When Bradley Brack-ett pinned Clear Lake”s James McGann in the third round at 162 pounds to give the Cougars a 26-6 lead on the scoreboard, Cox said Upper Lake had the match pretty well in hand.
“Once Brackett won, we knew were going to win,” Cox said.
However, Clear Lake battled back with wins at 173 pounds (Matt Lockwood won on a first-round pin), 191 pounds (Shawn Larsen defeated Andrew Frazier 7-2), 217 pounds (Mike Reynolds took a 14-12 decision from Joe Valdez) and in the heavyweight division (Roberto Morfin pinned Jacob Warner).
While Upper Lake had only a 26-24 lead by that point, the writing was on the wall for the Cardinals, who forfeited three of the final four matches. Clear Lake”s Ryan Blyleven did pin Zeke Mendoza at 114 pounds.
Upper Lake has now won 25 consecutive CMC duals.
While the Cougars are loaded with talent from top to bottom, most of it still young, Cox said the team”s mainstays have been Davison, Tucker and Beecher, even if he”s only a sophomore.
“Davison has been a star all year,” Cox said. “All he does is pin guys. Tucker is very technical in his wrestling and very smooth. Ward is easy to overlook because he”s so good already and you expect him to win.”
In a 62-18 win over St. Helena earlier in the evening, Upper Lake winners were Nick Mai at 127 pounds (20-second pin); Tucker at 147 pounds (technical fall); Trevor Warren at 154 pounds (second-round pin); Brackett at 162 pounds (first-round pin); and Valdez at 217 pounds (35-second pin).
Warren”s victory over Jesus Lopez was the most notable match, according to Cox.
“That was an upset,” Cox said.
Upper Lake travels to Fort Bragg next Wednesday
