Seniors help Gators capture championship

PRIMM — Green Valley wrestling coach Jon Ferry is typically a nervous wreck during matches.

But when senior Adrian Ojeda took the mat for the Gators on Saturday, the butterflies in Ferry's stomach were nowhere to be found.

"I've never felt more calm inside with him on the mat than with any other (wrestler)," Ferry said. "I don't get that feeling too often. He made me feel comfortable in the corner coaching him."

Ojeda and fellow senior Robert Razo each won individual state titles at Star of the Desert Arena, helping Green Valley capture its fifth consecutive team championship at the Division I state wrestling tournament.

The Gators scored 130½ points to hold off Spanish Springs, which finished with 107½ points. Arbor View was third with 95½ points, followed by Shadow Ridge (85) and Bishop Gorman (74).

"This team has seen more adversity than I think most teams in the country, and I can tell you what, what makes us successful is we didn't let other people get us down wherever it was coming from," Ferry said. "The best way to fight adversity is with success, and we've done that. These kids deserve every bit of their success. This is a total team effort."

Ojeda's match at 152 pounds was especially important to the Gators' cause, as he defeated Cole Drescher of Spanish Springs, 10-0. Green Valley led by 14 points in the team standings at the time, and the victory all but clinched the title for the Gators.

Ojeda scored an early takedown and a two-point near fall in the first period and added a late takedown to earn his second consecutive state title.

"I didn't let (the team scores) get to me, and I just went out there and wrestled my best," Ojeda said. "I felt like I kept the pressure (on). ... I'm glad I made it to where I am today due to my hard work in practice and all my teammates."

Razo avenged an earlier loss to Shadow Ridge's Kevin Henry at 182 pounds with a 7-5 victory. Razo scored a takedown late in the second to go up 4-2 and added another takedown with 1:10 remaining in the third period.

"Robert put together a game plan, and it wasn't going to be stopped," Ferry said. "I give him all the credit in the world. He earned that match."

The match at 132 pounds between Arbor View's Dawson Downing and Mason Campbell of Bishop Gorman ended in controversy for the second straight week. Downing led 8-2 midway through the third period before Campbell, the Sunset Region champion, scored a reversal and then was awarded four points for Downing's stalling to go up 9-8.

Downing appeared to score a reversal with two seconds left, but officials credited Downing with a one-point escape to send the match to overtime.

In the extra session, Downing took down Campbell on the edge of the ring, and officials met for more than five minutes before awarding Downing the 11-9 decision.

"After that loss (in the Sunset Region tournament), beating him like that is a great feeling," Downing said.

There also was controversy in the 170-pound match as Bishop Gorman's Joey Mazzara upended defending state champion Andrew Berreyesa of Reno.

Mazzara appeared to have an 8-5 victory wrapped up, but after time expired, officials realized they had the wrong score and added 11 seconds. Mazzara then survived a late takedown attempt by Berreyesa to hold on for an 8-6 win.

Other area Division I state champions were Francisco Martinez of Shadow Ridge (106 pounds), Antonio Saldate of Las Vegas (113), Joshua Pine of Palo Verde (160), Nathaniel Garcia of Cimarron-Memorial (195), and Bonanza's Elias Aguilar (220).

In Division I-A, Western's Luis Lopez won his second straight state title, as he pinned Jack Swisher of Churchill County in 54 seconds. Virgin Valley, which finished fourth in the team standings, had two individual champions in Ty Smith (106) and Jacob Baird (120). Smith pinned all three of his opponents in the first period.

Also winning I-A titles were Peter Enos of Faith Lutheran (132), Victor Torres-Parra of Del Sol (182), Mojave's Don Phillips (220) and Clark's Mervyn Penniston-John (285).

Contact reporter David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidSchoenLVRJ