SMALL SCHOOLS: Durham’s desperation move lands him in final

Trailing 7-2 to Spring Creek’s Kolby Mays in the 160-pound semifinals, Durham knew he had to take a risk.

Durham threw Mays to his back to start the third period, earning a pin in 4 minutes, 32 seconds Friday to advance to the championship match of the Class 3A state tournament at Cox Pavilion.

“The coaches were telling me it was my last move. It’s all I could do,” Durham said. “So I was going for it. I knew I had no chance otherwise, so I just went for it.”

Durham advanced to his second straight state finals, and will face three-time state champion Jace Billingsley of Lowry in the final. Championship matches begin at 4 p.m. Saturday at Cox Pavilion.

The Buckaroos led after the first day with 225½ points. Spring Creek was second with 142 points, followed by Boulder City (123).

The Eagles’ Clinton Garvin used a two-period, 15-0 technical fall to advance to the title match at 113, and teammates Tyler Washburn (152), Frankie Badgley (195) and Brandon Foster (285) also clinched spots in the finals.

Virgin Valley’s Juan Dominiguez (120) and Jade Jensen (138) also won semifinal matches.

CLASS 2A

White Pine’s Chase Stanton (145) and Aryton Almberg (160) each advanced to Saturday’s championship round to help the Bobcats remain in the top four after one day with 99 points.

Yerington led the team standings with 133 points, followed by Pershing County (127) and Battle Mountain (103½).

Indian Springs’ Dakota Sargent (145), Laughlin’s Jimmy Minniear (138), Lincoln County’s Daniel Olsen (106), Pahranagat Valley’s Jeffrey Jones (113) and Tonopah’s Aidan Gromis (220) also advanced to the finals.

Wrestling resumes at noon Saturday.