NIC WRESTLING: Something to start with ... NIC edged by rival Clackamas to open season

By JASON ELLIOTT

Sports writer

COEUR d'ALENE — It was almost everything you'd want a home opener to be. 

Huge crowd.  

Tough opponent. 

And something to build on. 

NIC sophomore Rade Ostrander won by an 8-4 decision at 197 pounds to give North Idaho College a 20-19 lead, but visiting Clackamas scored the final decision at 285 to earn the 22-20 dual win at Christianson Gymnasium on Friday. 

Ostrander led 2-0 after the second period, then scored a takedown in the third and held off Elijah Josey for the win. 

"I've wrestled 1,000 matches," said Ostrander, from Fort Worth, Texas. "This one wasn't any different than the others. I just had to go out there and bang." 

NIC evened the dual on a 7-0 win by former Post Falls High star Seth Martin at 184 pounds. 

"They're our rivals, and kind of sore winners depending on who you ask," Ostrander said. "Whoever I go again, I want to make them bleed. That's the goal." 

The opener was held in front of nearly 1,300 at Christianson Gymnasium. In years past, the teams faced off in November. 

"Look at the environment and this crowd," NIC coach Derrick Booth said. "That was the goal coming into tonight. We told our guys that you're not going to see anything like this all year long. There's no environment like this in the country. Our fans showed up and the support we've got around this program right now is something special." 

"We've been starting to see each other a lot like at the national duals in January," Clackamas coach Brett Sanchez said. "Last season, we saw each other in November, then in the quarters at the national duals, then again four days after that. We needed to figure out how to make it November/December, so next year, they're coming to us early as well." 

The NJCAA has yet to release its preseason poll. Clackamas finished fifth, NIC sixth at nationals last year.

Sophomores Colton Theobald (165 pounds) and Korbin Churchran (157) won by technical fall for NIC. 

"I just wanted to keep scoring," said Churchran, from Saratoga Springs, Utah, who won 15-0. "It shouldn't matter what the score is. You just need to keep wrestling how you are." 

"On the wrestling side, we're going to learn from this," Booth said. "It's super early. Nobody is their best right now, but I think we've got the pieces we need. We just need to get back to work." 

NIC travels to Clackamas of Oregon City, Ore., on Dec. 5. 

"This is definitely one of the best duals in the country hands down," Sanchez said. "We'll see what the polls say, but we know the real results happen in March." 

"We're always up there," Booth said. "There's a lot of really good teams out there, but we're premier JUCO teams in the northwest. Any time we line up, there's going to be fireworks." 

NIC faces Big Bend next Friday at Tahoma High in Maple Valley, Wash.

125 — Kelby Bernard, Clack, p. Crew Lambro, 3:36. 133 — Ozias Gray, Clack, d. Dominic Bozanic, 7-3. 141 — Parker Ballentyne, NIC, md. Matthew Hernandez, 12-3. 149 — Damian Montoya, Clack, tf. Colton Tucker, 19-4. 157 — Korbin Churchran, NIC, tf. Nico Yazzolino, 15-0. 165 — Colton Theobald, NIC, tf. Christopher Villaneva, 18-2. 174 — Seth Wynn, Clak, tf. Dylan Block, 22-6. 184 — Seth Martin, d. Nakoa Fouret, 7-0. 197 — Rade Ostrander, NIC, d. Elijah Josey, 8-4. 285 — Mark Marin, Clack, d. Brendan Hughes, 5-3. 

    Photo by DISHAW PHOTOGRAPHY North Idaho College sophomore Korbin Churchran attempts to gain an advantage on Clackamas wrestler Nico Yazzolino during their match at 157 pounds at Christianson Gymnasium on Friday.