By STONER BELL
For The Enterprise
Columbia High hosted its first wrestling dual meet in several years last Tuesday, Jan. 23.
A supportive crowd came to watch the Bruins wrestle off against Castle Rock and then Rochester. CHS hosted Stevenson High School as it also wrestled dual meets against the same opponents.
Despite strong performances by several wrestlers in the meet against Castle Rock, the final score was Castle Rock 60, Columbia 3.
The meet started at 145 pounds, with a forfeit by the Bruins. At 152, Jenson Ladiges wrestled a tough match against Mitch Grendahl. After the first period, the score was tied at 2-2. Ladiges gave up a penalty point as well as a 2-point reversal and a 3-point near fall in the second period, which ended 3-8.
Ladiges took control in the third period with two 3-point near falls, but gave up another penalty point to end the regular match with a tie at 9-9.
In overtime, Ladiges came out strong and won the first takedown points to win the match 11-9.
Seth Bell followed with a match at 160 against Cody Shipley. Bell led 4-2 after the first period, having gotten the takedown, giving up a reversal, and then gaining a reversal.
The fast-paced, hard-fought match continued in the second period, with Bell getting a 2-point reversal and then giving up a 2-point reversal and a 2-point near fall, ending the period at 6-6.
The third period started with Bell capitalizing on his top position and getting a 3-point near fall. Shipley retaliated with a 2-point reversal and a 3-point near fall. With less than a minute remaining, Bell tied the score with a 2-point reversal, but was unable to maintain control and gave up a 2-point reversal and a 2-point near fall with just seconds remaining to lose the match 15-11.
At 171, Bo Ward fought into the second period with a tied score, before losing his match by a pin to Tyler Jackson.
Kyle Van Laar (189), Devin Bulick (215), Shawn Cabral (103) and Brad Spring (112) lost their matches by pins.
Ethan Cranmer wrestled a tough match against Bricer Pliler at 119. After yielding the initial takedown, Cranmer managed an escape, but then was taken down again and gave up a 3-point near fall. He managed a reversal and then Pliler escaped, ending the first period at 3-8.
Starting the second period on bottom, Cranmer gained 4 points on Pliler with a reversal and a 2-point near fall.
With a 1-point lead, Pliler chose bottom for the third round and then fought for the reversal and a 3-point near fall. Cranmer responded with a reversal but was unable to capitalize on his position before time ran out, losing the match 13-9.
Jon Belvin lost to Jeff Edwards by pin at 125.
Jesse Belvin, a first-year wrestler at 130 pounds, started strong with a takedown of CR's Sam Williams before giving up a penalty point and a reversal. Reversals by both wrestlers ended the period at 4-5.
Belvin again got the takedown in the second period, followed by two more reversals, to end the second period at 8-7. Belvin started the third round on top and gave up a reversal and a 3-point nearfall with time running out to lose the match, 12-8.
Kevin Kreps, another first-year wrestler at 135, wrestled hard against Riley Horton of Castle Rock. Horton started strong with a takedown, a 2-point near fall, and a 3-point near fall. Kreps rallied and responded with a reversal and a 3-point near fall, ending the first period 5-7.
Choosing the down position, Kreps fought for a reversal before giving up an escape and a takedown. With one more escape, Kreps was down 8-11 going into the third period.
Horton fought for the entire third round to get a reversal and a 3-point near fall, with Kreps losing the match 15-8. A forfeit by the Bruins at 140 ended the meet.
Because the Bruins were able to field almost a full team, they fared better as a team in the second meet against Rochester, gaining forfeit points at 215, 103, 112, and 119 to lose the meet 48-24.
Individually, the meet was harder, with Bruins being pinned by their opponents at 152, 171, 189, 125, 130, and 135, with Kreps and Ladiges making into the second period before falling.
Bell, at 160, managed to escape the pin but lost his match after three periods by a score of 13-0.
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