Cards grapplers come out on top over Anderson

The Corning varsity wrestling team prevailed in a seesaw battle with host Anderson on Wednesday night, 36-32.

The Cubs led 32-27 with two middleweight rounds to go, and Cardinals teammates Nick Johnson and Calvin Meister delivered back-to-back blows in the clutch.

Johnson pinned Spencer Larson at 142 pounds for the go-ahead victory, needing just one minute to swing the score in Corning's favor.

But with Corning only ahead 33-32, the dual's outcome really came down to Nick Ortiz of Anderson and Meister in the finale.

It wasn't a major decision, but Ortiz was powerless against Meister, who recorded for Corning a 7-0 shutout to clinch the team's win.

Cardinals coach Armando Romo acknowledged the vital importance of those two matches, but emphasized it took the entire team's effort to win this dual.

That team effort began in the opening round, when the Cardinals rallied behind 154-pounder Jonathan Jones in a 4-1 grinder versus Chris Webb.

Billy Crawford (162) followed with another tough bout, but secured a 7-3 decision over Anderson's Donnie Wonder.

Earning a start at 173 pounds, Parker Johnson battled Cubs star Marcus Zachary for one-and-a-half rounds before succumbing by fall, knotting the score at 6-6.

At 191, Corning's Erik Miranda was pinned by Giorgi Doldtze but Thomas Marshall fired back at the Cubs with a 3-2 decision against Europa Mataia.

Corning regained the dual lead briefly, 15-12, when 287 heavyweight Derek Wais trampled Ryan Walker for a second-period pin.

Anderson proved stronger at the light weights, however, as Elias Vallejo (105) was tripped up by Kyle Francis in the third period, and Martin Solano dropped a 3-1 decision to Trystan Smith.

Sean Lowe (121) tied the score at 21 with a third-period fall over Austin Langley, and Tanner Johnson pushed the Cardinals ahead by six with another pin, at 127 against Alex Miller.

The Cubs revolted with two straight wins of their own to surge back ahead. Misael Morales of Corning (132) fell in the second period to Jerry Bjerkland.

Cole Holland (137) was also defeated by Dylan Frank, a 16-1 technical fall, to set up the middleweight showdowns that ultimately decided the dual's outcome.

Corning's junior varsity also clipped the Cubs by a score of 39-37.

The Cardinals (2-1 NAL, 2-4) host the Corning Invitational on Saturday at 9 a.m., with teams converging from all over the north state.

Corning 36, Anderson 32
154 - Johnathon Jones, C, 4-1 over Chris Webb, A
162 - Billy Crawford, C, 7-3 over Donnie Wonder, A
173 - Marcus Zachary, A, by fall over Parker Johnson, C, 3:20
191 - Giorgi Doldtze, A, by fall over Erik Miranda, C, 2:54
217 - Thomas Marshall, C, 3-2 over Europa Mataia, A
287 - Derek Wais, C, by fall over Ryan Walker, A, 3:24
105 - Kyle Francis, A, by fall over Elias Vallejo, C, 5:01
114 - Trystan Smith, A, 3-1 over Martin Solano, C
121 - Sean Lowe, C, by fall over Austin Langley, A, 5:29
127 - Tanner Johnson, C, by fall over Alex Miller, A, 2:35
132 - Jerry Bjerklund, A, by fall over Misael Morales, C, 3:22
137 - Dylan Frank, A, by tech fall over Cole Holland, C, 16-1
142 - Nick Johnson, C, by fall over Spencer Larson, A, 1:00
147 - Calvin Meister, C, 7-0 over Nick Ortiz, A