STATE WRESTLING: Western’s Gonzalez goes the distance in final match

PRIMM — Western High School senior Erik Gonzalez had a big smile on his face after his Division I-A 113-pound state championship match against Elko’s Aram Villegas, Saturday night at the Star of the Desert Arena.

It may have seemed a bit odd, considering he had just lost, 1-0.

But Gonzalez, who could barely finish the first round of matches during his sophomore year because of panic attacks, had reason to celebrate a runner-up finish.

“This whole experience starting as a sophomore, just totally changed my life,” Gonzalez said. “It was my last match, and it was just something to be proud of. I was just glad I wrestled.”

Gonzalez made strides last year, before suffering a concussion in the second round of the state tournament.

“He’s probably one of the kids that’s kept me coaching,” Western coach Mark Seglin said. “He’s unbelievable with the way he just has that drive. When he loses he takes it to heart, and he learns by it and keeps getting stronger.”

Lowry cruised to its 16th state team championship, and sixth in a row. The Buckaroos had 151 points. Churchill County was second with 117.5, and Pahrump Valley and Virgin Valley tied for third with 87. Spring Creek was fifth with 75, followed by Western with 56.

Seglin said he was proud to arrive at this year’s tournament with five Western wrestlers who qualified for state. The Warriors had one state qualifier in 2011, two in 2012 and four last year.

“It’s a lot of hard work and it takes some time,” Seglin said. “With the winning, we’re having more wrestlers come out. This was probably our biggest season ever.”

Four of the five Warriors placed, with Andrew Solis (182) also taking second. Alex Richardson (132) was third, and Daniel Zelaya (145) placed fourth.

“This year has been a phenomenal season and I love every bit of it,” Solis said. “Putting Western back on the map is what it’s all about. This year, just bringing five kids to state was an improvement, and everybody underestimates us and this year we took it to ‘em.”

Clark also qualified five wrestlers to the state tournament and came away with one state champion.

Top-seeded Michael Hervis won the 195-pound division, edging Lowry’s Tytin Johnson, 4-3 in the final.

Hervis said he couldn’t have asked for a better scenario, as he was able to exact revenge from last year’s state tournament, where Johnson defeated him in the opening round and again in the third-place match.

“I knew he was going to be my toughest match, because he was the first kid on the other side,” Hervis said. “But it was my title; I wasn’t going to give it to him.”

The two battled to the end, and because Hervis already had one stalling call on him, the action became intense down the stretch.

“I decided to let him shoot so I’d be on my defensive,” Hervis said. “He wanted me to get another stalling call, but on that last shot he took I went all out so I wouldn’t get a stalling call.”

Edwin Centeno (220) was second, and Jacob Chaparian (285) took third for Clark.

Virgin Valley’s Jacob Baird (106) and Juan Dominguez (120) won state titles, as did Faith Lutheran’s Owen Lawrie (126).

Battle Mountain ran away with the Division III title, scoring 209 points. Pershing County was second with 125, followed by Yerington (99) and Laughlin (74).

Lincoln County’s Derek Matthews captured the 113-pound title.