Hawk grapplers duke it out in HR

First on the slate for the junior was an opening round matchup versus Reynolds’ Nathan Schultz, and Linebarger racked up points through six minutes to grab an 11-2 major decision to make his move into the quarterfinals.

That test was tougher for Linebarger, who went up against North Marion’s Sergio Espinoza.

Just as he did in his first match, Linebarger put on a clinic for three rounds on his way to a 10-1 major decision.

With one victory standing in the way of a title berth, Linebarger had to get past Centennial’s Alex Thavongsack, a wrestler who had amassed a record of 22-3 for the year.

Thavongsack had all of the answers in this showdown, dropping Linebarger with a first-round pinfall triumph at the one minute and 27-second mark of the opening frame.

The loss moved the Riverhawk wrestler to the consolation semifinals in a bout opposite Wilson’s Jackson Davis (19-8 record).

This match could not be settled in six minutes of action, however, with a 1-1 tie after three rounds.

In the sudden death overtime session, Linebarger found an opening and delivered the match-winning takedown to tally a 3-1 win.

Both Linebarger and West Albany’s Justin Moller could not compete in the third-place match and it was ruled a double forfeit, with Linebarger earning fourth place.

At 152 pounds, Waters (14-12) lost his first match by a 7-4 decision to West Albany’s Javier Perez (3-3).

After a bye in the consolation bracket, Waters got on the board in his next tussle versus Hood River Valley’s Chris Castro (10-10).

In what turned out to be a close three-round battle, Waters came on strong in the end with a 3-2 decision to keep his tournament hopes alive.

Those placing hopes were dashed in the next round in a consolation matchup against Westview’s Keivon Behbehani-Escobar.

Behbehani-Escobar needed five minutes of action to rack up 15 points for a 15-0 technical fall win.

In other matches, Ben Waters (4-5), wrestling at 113 pounds, lost both of his turns, the first coming against West Albany’s Austin Bitz by a second-round pinfall.

In the consolation rounds, Ben Waters then suffered a second-round pin loss at 2:33 to Franklin’s Arturo Salgado-Martinez.

The Dalles’ Cole Davis (120 pounds) went to work in two matches, first losing to North Marion’s Brandon Gibson by a 9-0 major decision.

Davis then had a consolation round bye, and in the next step wound up losing in the second round by a pin to Reynolds’ Daniel Nguyen.

Colton Lee (145 pounds) lost both of his matches by pin, the first coming versus Newberg’s Brandon Harper at the 3:06 mark of the second period.

Before he could wrestle in the consolation round, Lee earned a bye and the next match he squared off opposite Reynolds’ Attila Mandi-Casas (15-10).

The Reynolds wrestler scored a third-round pin at 4:44 to end Lee’s tournament run.

At the 220-pound level, Jeff Jimenez hit the mats for a pair of bouts, the first coming against Hood River Valley’s Max Lane.

Lane (16-21) picked up a second-round pin to put Jimenez into the consolation brackets.

After a bye, Jimenez (4-11) then had his day cut short with a second-round pinfall setback versus Espinoza, of North Marion.

The Dalles is in Hood River tonight for a Columbia River Conference dual.

On Feb. 13-14 in Portland, the Riverhawk wrestlers kick off regionals.