Othello wrestlers take CWAC title; co-recipients of sportsmanship award
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 10 months AGO
The Othello boys wrestling team shows off the Central Washington Athletic Conference first-place plaque the team won Saturday.
Rudy Ochoa II/Courtesy photo
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | February 9, 2022 1:00 AM
OTHELLO — The Othello High School boys wrestling team upset No. 2-ranked Selah High School to take the Central Washington Athletic Conference district title Saturday in Grandview.
OHS head wrestling coach Rudy Ochoa II said the Huskies also were co-recipients of the CWAC sportsmanship trophy with Grandview High School.
Additionally, Othello will have 20 wrestlers and three alternates at the regional tournament Saturday.
“It was a good weekend, that’s for sure,” Ochoa said Monday.
Othello took the district championship with 433 points, and Selah finished second with 398 points. Ellensburg finished third with 203.5 points.
Nine Othello wrestlers made the district finals and four brought home district championships. District champions included Isaac Campos at 106 pounds, Forrest Roylance, 132 pounds; Kyler Freeman, 138 pounds and Josue Solano, 220 pounds.
Ochoha said the Huskies have faced tough opponents all season, and the results of their work showed on Saturday.
“I think the boys wrestled with a lot of confidence,” Ochoa said. “They were confident and well-prepared. They had that strong belief that they could go out there and compete.”
Marcos Zuniga, 113 pounds; Adriel Flores, 120 pounds; Ethan Perez-Medina, 170 pounds; Terrill Freeman, 195 pounds; and Mason Perez, 285 pounds; each placed second.
Third place finishers included Andres DeLeon Jr., 126 pounds; Zakary Rocha, 145 pounds; Jesus Gonzalez, 160 pounds; Alexis Espindola, 182 pounds; Brandon Garza, 195 pounds; and Gaven Perez, 285 pounds.
Ochoa said he was proud of his team for being named co-recipients of the sportsmanship award. His wrestlers try to show character at every match, and compete with class, he said.
The regional tournament will send CWAC wrestlers up against the Greater Spokane League, with the top four in each weight class advancing to the state tournament Feb. 18 and 19 in Tacoma. Even with the Huskies winning the district championship, Ochoa said there were some matches that got away, and the wrestlers will have the chance to adjust for regionals.
His wrestlers have individual goals, he said, and he wants the team to focus on reaching those goals at regionals. He wants the wrestlers to compete to the best of their ability and have fun, he said.
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