UKIAH >> Julian Lewis of Clear Lake High School did one better than his No. 2 seeding on Saturday at the Redwood Empire Classic wrestling tournament in Ukiah.
Seeded second at 222 pounds, the senior pinned the No. 1 seed from San Marin High School in the championship match. The victory was especially sweet for Lewis given his 8-6 lost to the same opponent earlier in the season.
In two matches leading up to the 222-pound finals, Lewis registered back-to-back pins.
Tyler Buchholz added a fifth-place finish at 160 pounds, bouncing back from a first-match loss with two straight wins, both by pin.
Clear Lake’s girls also brought home a medal as Emily Psalmonds, competing in the 106-111 class, finished third with a 2-1 record.
The Cardinals are back in action Wednesday during a Coastal Mountain Conference dual meet against Middletown and Fort Bragg in Fort Bragg beginning at 5 p.m.
Clear Lake’s girls compete in the North Coast Section Championships on Saturday at Ukiah High School.
Middletown and Kelseyville also were scheduled to compete in Ukiah on Saturday. One team did, one didn’t.
Kelseyville High School’s expected participation in the tournament ended with a flu bug that swept through the team last week.
“I had only two healthy kids,” Kelseyville coach Rob Brown said.
Kelseyville and Upper Lake compete in a CMC dual on Wednesday in St. Helena at 5 p.m.
Middletown’s wrestlers managed to dodge the flu bug and score some high finishes, led by Isabella Quintana-Ocken, who won the girls’ 150-pound division with a 2-0 record that featured two pins.
Also for the Mustangs, Wyatt Jones came in fourth at 170 pounds, going 2-2 on the day. He would have finished higher if not for a 5-4 loss by decision in his first match, one that had a couple of controversial calls by an official, according to Middletown coach Brian Hunt.
“Let’s just say I didn’t agree with them,” Hunt said. “It was a good, close match.”
Quentin Crayne won the consolation championship at 120 pounds with three straight victories following a first-match loss. Scott Kelly was the consolation runner-up at 145 pounds with a 2-2 record.
Middletown travels to Fort Bragg along with Clear Lake for a CMC match on Wednesday at 5 p.m. After that, the Middletown boys won’t return to action until Feb. 21 at the CMC Championships in Upper Lake. Middletown’s girls take part Saturday in the North Coast Section Championships at Ukiah High School. The top eight in each weight class receive medals and the top three move on to the CIF State Championships.
“I like our chances of taking some girls to state,” Hunt said both of his Middletown squad and of other Lake County wrestlers in the field.
For Middletown, Kailei Foltmer is the No. 4 seed at 131 pounds and owns a 1-1 record against the No 3 seed. Quintana-Ocken is the No. 5 seed at 150 pounds.
Among other Lake County girls in the field, Hunt said he likes the chances of Clear Lake’s Psalmonds, Upper Lake’s Angel Stith and Kelseyville’s Christina Navarro.
