LOWER LAKE >> The Shield is staying put in Lower Lake, the only home it has ever known, following the Trojans’ 39-6 victory over the Kelseyville Knights in Coastal Mountain Conference wrestling action Wednesday night in Lower Lake.
The Shield, a perpetual trophy that goes to the winner of the Kelseyville-Lower Lake match, was first awarded in 2016. Lower Lake has won it three years running.
Middletown also participated in Wednesday’s tri-meet. The Mustangs beat Kelseyville 21-14 to get the night rolling, then Lower Lake shut out Middletown 35-0. The Shield match between the Trojans and Knights capped the evening’s action.
Lower Lake 39, Kelseyville 6
Of the five contested weight classes, Lower Lake won four of them, three by pin. By far the best match came at 220 pounds where Peerliss Brooke of the Trojans held on for a 4-3 victory over Kelseyville’s Javante Gregoire in what could be a preview of the CMC Championship finals Feb. 18 in Fort Bragg.
“It was an awesome match,” Fuchs said.
Brooke scored a two-point takedown in the first period and picked up an escape point in the second period for a 3-0 lead. Both wrestlers were penalized a point for stalling in the third period, making it 4-1. With time running out in the match, Gregoire scored a two-point takedown to close the gap to 4-3.
“There were about 30 seconds left,” Fuchs said. “We were trying to get an escape point, but he (Brooke) couldn’t get away from him.”
Brooke was able to run out the clock before Gregoire could score again.
Kelseyville’s lone win came at 154 pounds where Alex Garcia pinned Jordan Lott in the second round.
“Obviously Garcia is a great wrestler,” Fuchs said.
Winning by pin for Lower Lake were Hugo Salazar at 128 pounds, Lily Wetmore at 140 pounds, and Dahsaan Booker at 147 pounds.
Because it was senior night for the Trojans, who were hosting their final match of the season, the six points earned by heavyweight Michael Jamison for his forfeit win were counted toward the team score.
“I usually don’t count the forfeit points in our team scoring (unless they’re needed to decide the outcome of a match,which they weren’t on Wednesday), but it was his final match at home and I wanted to recognize him,” Fuchs said.
Lower Lake 35, Middletown 0
Lower Lake won the only seven contested matches, registering four pins, two major decisions and a decision.
Winners by pin were Mario Cuellar at 108 pounds, Tristan Day at 128 pounds, Wetmore at 134 pounds, and Carlos Avelar at 172 pounds. Major decisions went to Pedro Garrido in a 13-3 final over Filemon Sanchez at 115 pounds, and to Brooke in a 16-3 final over Cameron Ketchum at 220 pounds. Kyle Lynn won a 9-5 decision over Evan Dodd at 154 pounds.
“We looked really good, I can’t complain,” Fuchs said of the Trojans’ performance. “Our goal was not to allow them more than 15 points, which is the number they scored against Willits (Lower Lake’s chief competitor for the conference title).”
Lower Lake takes a 6-0 record into its final tri-meet next Wednesday in Willits where the host Wolverines (6-0) are waiting. While the winner of the match isn’t guaranteed the conference title, the team that prevails will be in the driver’s seat going into the CMC Championships at Fort Bragg.
“Looking at it on paper, I think it’s going to be a battle,” Fuchs said. “I think we match up very well. I think we can get them.”
Middletown coach Brian Hunt handicaps the match as dead even.
“A kid losing but not getting pinned could be the difference,” he said. “I wish I could be there to see it.”
Middletown 21, Kelseyville 14
Middletown defeated Kelseyville to open the tri-meet. Both squads sent only a handful of wrestlers to the mat, according to Hunt.
“Both teams are pretty beat up right now,” Hunt said. “Between injuries and illness I’ve got maybe 11 wrestlers left after starting with more than 20. I’ve never had a season where I’ve had so many injuries.”
Only a handful of weight divisions were contested between the two teams. Kelseyville’s Kylie Marlin-Ambriz beat Isaac Rascon at 106 pounds and Middletown’s Angela Egger pinned Korbyn Marlin-Ambriz at 113 pounds.
Kelseyville picked up another win at 138 pounds and Middletown’s Evan Dodd won a decision at 152 pounds.
In other wrestling action Wednesday:
Upper Lake 30, Fort Bragg 24
At Upper Lake, the Upper Lake Cougars honored four-year veteran Christina Wilson during their final home match of the season, then they went out and beat the Fort Bragg Timberwolves.
Wilson finished third in the state last year after winning the North Coast Section championship and she is gunning for a state title this season.
Only a handful of weight divisions were contested between the Cougars and Timberwolves. For Upper Lake, Laylah Medina was pinned 122 pounds, Adriana Lopez pinned her opponent at 128 pounds, Becky Harper was pinned at 162 pounds, and Ryan Grivette won by pin in the heavyweight division.
Upper Lake had three forfeit victories and Fort Bragg two.
