Wrestling: YVCC sends three to nationals
February 12, 2012 by YH-R Sports
YAKIMA, Wash. — Three Yakima Valley wrestlers, including East Valley High graduate Konner Hopkins, qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association championships after their performances in the Region 18 event Saturday at Sherar Gym.
Hopkins and Kolton Palmer posted third-place finishes at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively, to automatically advance to the national meet Feb. 24-25 in Rochester, Minn.
Jesse O’Camb was fourth at 125 but earned one of five wild card entries to nationals. The five coaches at the regional meet voted for the five best fourth-place finishers and O’Camb was a unanimous pick from what was considered the regional’s toughest weight class, according to YVCC coach Mike Schmitt.
All three Yaks are freshmen, with Palmer from Darrington, and O’Camb from Chehalis.
Clackamas had five individual champions and won the team title. Highline was second and had three individual champions.
FINAL RESULTS
Top 3 teams: 1, Clackamas, 2, Highline, 3, North Idaho. Also competing: Yakima Valley, Southwestern Oregon.
Championship finals
125: Steven Romero (High) 3-0 over Sage Ornelas (Clack)
133: Matin Gonzalez (Clack) 3-2 over Mike Rodriguez (NI)
141: Cody Randall (Clack) 1-0 over Jarrett Morrill (NI)
149: Nick Bendon (SWOC) 3-1 over Derek Booth (NI)
157: Ryan Zumwalt (NI) 9-2 over Nick Schmidt (High)
165: Micah Morrill (High) 9-1 over W.V. Meyer (NI)
174: Lucas Huyber (High) 6-4 over Trent Noon (Clack)
184: Austin Moorehead (Clack) I.D. over Ryland Geiger (SWOC)
197: Rudi Burtschi (Clack) 10-3 over Bo Younker (SWOC)
Hvy: Jake Laden (Clack) 2-1 in Triple OT over John Hatch (SWOC)
Filed under All, YVCC Wrestling
