Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 2014)
g $ PRIMT: Sports Wednesday,January 29,2014 Cougars control action on the mat Top: Clackamas’ 141pounds freshman Robbie Rizzolino scrambles for control and position while attempting to avoid a pin. His opponent Matt Gay o f Southwestern Oregon won the match viadeci- sion with dominant control and elusive techniques which included a one-handed cartwheel evade. , » , L jt H Bottom left and right: Clackamas’184 pounds freshman Adrian Salas shows his wrestling prowess and strength overcoming Southwestern Oregon s Kolbjom Skaflestad.. I David Beasley Sports Editor T h e No, 4 ranked Cougar wres tling team continued to represent the fighting spirit o f Clackamas last Friday. They took out No. 23 ranked Southwestern Oregon Lakers. The match announcer, Aaron Hall, introduced the wrestlers with crowd-pleasing, fight-style face offs. It was good foreshadowing o f die impressive battles that took place. The Cougars showed how hard work and determination pay off. They set a good example for all Clackamas students with their work ethic and performance. “In wrestling, . you’re never done,” said Hall. “You’re working on your weaknesses and strengths a lo t” The 125-pound division was a forfeit for Clackamas, and Southwestern Oregon’s Matthew Nguyen was awarded the win. The score started out 0-6 in favor o f the Lakers. The first match was CCC’s very talented C.J. Palmer versus Lucas Garza at 133 pounds, With a bit o f a feeling-out process, Palmer finally caught the elusive Garza. Palmer held him with all four limbs up, winning via pin. “He was really defensive, he didn’t want to wrestle,” said Palmer. “I had to lose four pounds before the m eet I was tired from running. It’s hard cutting weight right before a match.” - The team score was tied after the first match 6-6. Next, at 14Lpounds was CCC’s Robbie Rizzolino against Matt Gay. As Rizzolino tena ciously attempted to catch Gay, Gay executed a spectacular one-handed cartwheel evade. Gay gained the advantage and used excellent con trol. Gay won by decision. The score was then 6-9 Lakers lead. At 149 pounds, Kenny Martin faced the Lakers’ Aaron Villain. Martin won the competitive match 7-4 and tied the meet 9-9. The Lakers had to forfeit foe 157 pounds match, so foe Cougars took foe lead 15-9. For foe 165 pounds divi sion, Shane Sheppard o f Clackamas wrestled Andrew Orr. A few seconds into foe match foe referee halted foe action for blood oh the mat. 1 “There’s blood everywhere,” he declared. It was Orr’s nose. At foe restart fiom standing position Orr took a two-point takedown and got a pin. Orr won. The score was tied, again, 15-15. Moving up foe weight divi sions, at 174 pounds, Tyler White was set to wrestle Mikey Ayala o f Southwestern Oregon. White had a very good takedown and near fall, accruing five points, and relent lessly tried to get Ayala’s arm out fiom underneath to get a pin. Ayala defended foe pin, but White won. Clackamas took foe lead again, 18-15. Next up was 184 pounds Cougar powerhouse Adrian Salas versus Kolbjom Skaflestad. Skaflestad almost had a two- point takedown but Salas rolled at foe last second. The referee palled it as off foe m a t The Lakers’ coach was very upset with foe call. Salas executed a powerful two-point takedown and got two more points controlling foe action and then two more. Salas got an impressive pin winning foe match. For foe 197 pounds division, Ihoughama Odigizuwa accepted foe win for Clackamas, putting foe score at 24-15 as foe Lakers’ forfeit Last, but certainly not least was CCC’s imposing 285 pounds Brandon Johnson against Teran Reedy. Johnson had a strong two-point takedown and grabbed another three points before almost pinning Reedy. Johnson earned another three points for a dominant score o f 8-0. He got another two-point takedown for 10- 0 and one point for stalling was awarded to Johnson against Reedy, 11- 0. Then one point was awarded to Reedy against Johnson for stall ing, 11-1. Johnson executed one o f foe night’s most spectacular tech niques with a takedown slam right at foe buzzer. Johnson won 14-1. “The slam was great,” said announcer H all.' “It was fantastic, foe crowd loves those techniques. It gets foe crowd into i t ” - Johnson’s win put foe final meet score at 34-15. Clackamas won, as expected, in dominating fashion. The following morning, Saturday, Jan, 25, foe team traveled to Forest Grove for foe Boxer Open tourna m ent Johnson was satisfied with his team’s performance Friday night. He knew he had to stay consistent in his own game as well to succeed in foe championships this season, he said. “There’s been ups and downs,” said Johnson. “Trying to have more ups right now, just trying to push through being tired, trying to get in shape this season. Third round is usually when I start getting tired. You can lead foe whole match arid lose it all at foe end.” ■ Palmer had confidence in his team for foe remainder o f foe season and saw foe possibility o f champi onship glory. “The biggest challenge will be getting mentally prepared,” said Palmer. “I think everyone should be ready.” The Cougars’ last home meet will be against Pacific University on Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Then on Feb. 15 they will head to Rock Creek, Wyo., forregionals.
