MHS wrestlers shine in Alturas

Clark, Ocken, Ketchum all go 5-0 to bring home first-place medals; Barriga adds another first

ALTURAS >> Middletown High School’s wrestling team was the top-placing small school and finished sixth overall Saturday during the Modoc Tournament at Modoc High School in Alturas.

Dominick Clark dominated at 115 pounds, going 5-0 to win a first-place medal. He’s now 8-0 on the season.

Other varsity medals went to Kayden Menzio, second at 108 pounds; to Steven Peterson, third at 195 pounds; to Patrick Rudy, fourth at 108 pounds; to David Sypnicki, fourth at 147 pounds; to California Howland, fifth at 184 pounds; and to Sam Bomberry, fifth at 287 pounds.

Sypnicki and Howland both were unseeded wrestlers who scored multiple upsets in some of the larger brackets of the tournament to secure their medals.

Menzio, Peterson, Rudy and Bomberry all were wrestling in their first varsity tournament.

Girls

Middletown sent eight girls to the tournament and all brought home medals, including firsts by Krystal Ocken, Mariah Ketchum and Cat Barriga. Ocken went 5-0 at 170 pounds over the two days of the tournament to improve to 8-0 on the season. Ketchum went 5-0 at 143 pounds and is 8-1 on the season. Barriga was 5-1 and avenged a first-day loss to win at 101 pounds.

Hannah Gotz added a secondplace medal at 143 pounds, losing only to teammate Ketchum. She was 2-1 in tournament action.

Third-place medals went to Issy Barriga (101), Kamilah Chairez (111), Taylor Thompson (137) and Isabel Cortez (143).

JV boys

For the Middletown junior varsity boys, first-place medals went to Austin Schroeder (152) and Eddy Johnson (160). Nick Guerrero

was second at 195 pounds while Chris Petek (126), Tyler Torres (145) and Matt Foxworthy (195) all placed third.

Friday duals

Middletown went 3-2 during Friday duals, beatingin Lassen High School, Klamath Union (Oregon) and Trinity, and losing to Corning and Lakeview (Oregon).

Schedule

Middletown returns to action Friday in the Brett Farfand Memorial tournament at Will C. Wood High School in Vacaville.