Chiefs return to mat with one loss, three victories
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 7 months AGO
Moses Lake High School wrestler Stephen Jackson takes down Izek Perez Rodriguez in Friday’s dual against Eastmont High School.
Joel Martin/Columbia Basin Herald
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | January 25, 2022 1:00 AM
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake High School Chiefs boys wrestling team returned to the mat last week for the first time in nearly a month, a hiatus head coach Jaime Garza attributed to COVID-19-related cancellations and delays.
The blitz of matches got off to a rocky start Thursday as the Chiefs lost to Sunnyside High School, 56-15. Chiefs Dayton Regan, Derek Grubb, Joey Freidig and Ashton Sanchez won their matches by decision.
“Though we lost, we wrestled with a significant amount of grit and desire,” said Garza. “Sunnyside currently is ranked second in the 4A state rankings and has 12 of 14 wrestlers ranked. I’m pleased with the effort that was displayed.”
Friday’s dual at home yielded better results for the Chiefs, with a 54-18 victory against Eastmont High School. Marcus DuVall’s loss by fall to Dominic Webb was the only defeat the Chiefs weathered. Cody Byers, Adrian Morales, Ashton Sanchez and Stephen Jackson won by fall, while Josh Grubb, Cody Byers, Joey Freidig and Jayro Guzman won by decision.
Saturday saw the Chiefs facing both West Valley and Davis high schools at Davis in Yakima. Moses Lake defeated Davis 40-33 and West Valley 63-12. Marcus Duvall and Joey Freidig beat their Davis opponents by fall, Derek Grubb and Cody Byers won by decision and Bryer Knowles won by major. Against West Valley, Josh Grubb and Adrian Morales won by fall, while Cody Byers won by decision.
“These guys had to make weight three days in a row,” said Garza on Sunday. “They regrouped and wrestled pretty well. There’s some positions that needed some work, and we’ll be shoring up some of the deficiencies this week in preparation for Thursday’s home match against Eisenhower (High School).”
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.