Wrestlers migrate to North Okanogan

The LRS Bronco wrestling team traveled to the North Okanogan Holiday Invitational Wrestling Tournament in Oroville on Saturday, Dec. 22.

The team took 10 wrestlers.

Matthias Ferderer made his debut at 106 pounds.

“This was his first time on the mat and I was impressed with his determination,” coach Jason Hilzer said.

He wrestled twice and lost by pin both times.

Emmanuel Huitron wrestled at 126.

“He is getting better each time he gets on the mat. He also wrestled twice and lost both by pin,” Hilzer said.

Johnny Hernandez wrestled at 138 and was in the toughest bracket of the tournament according to Hilzer. He also lost both matches. The first was a 14-9 loss and the second by pin.

Veteran Keanu Niezwaag checked in at 145 and wrestled three times on the day. He won the first match by pin and the second by a score of 9-3.

In the championship match, he got out of position in the finals and got pinned to finish in second place.

Andrew Witt wrestled at 152 and he also wrestled three times.

He lost his first and third matches by pin and won his second match by pin.

“He was the wrestler I was most impressed with out of our new wrestlers,” Hilzer said.

Ethan Melville wrestled at 160 and wrestled four times, winning two and losing two.

Karl Hawks also wrestled at 160. He wrestled twice and lost both by pin.

“We ended up with three heavyweights and they were Cory Goble, Matt Vercoe and Layne Hawks,” Hilzer said.

Vercoe wrestled once, losing by pin. Lane wrestled twice, losing one and winning one. Goble wrestled four times winning two and losing two, finishing in fourth place.

“It was nice to finally get Cory on the mat,” Hilzer said.

The Broncos will travel to Pomeroy on Friday, Dec. 28, for a mix-n-match and then wrestle in a tournament in Pomeroy on Saturday, Dec. 29.