Junior high wrestlers pin five school records at districts

Wrestlers from Mountain Home Junior High School dominated the mats this season enroute to a second-place finish at the district finals held recently.

On the way, the team set five school records, including the most wrestlers to ever make it to the championship round of the district finals with six of the those nine competitors earning top honors.

A total of 15 wrestlers from the junior high school placed at the district event, setting the school's third record. In addition, the squad recorded the most team pins in a single season with 267 with four wrestlers finishing the season undefeated.

Mountain Home's district champions included Hunter McCluskey in the 98-pound weight class, Pierce Mederios at 82 pounds, Abraham Salas at 152 pounds, Taylor Ogaard at 160 pounds, Dale Knox at 220 pounds and Jose Ortiz at 285 pounds. Those finishing second overall were Shandon Allen in the 98-pound weight class, Kanoa Doronio at 75 pounds and Skyler Knudson at 82 pounds.

Others placing at the district tournament were Jacob Lucas, who finished fifth in the 88-pound weight class; Connor Carpenter, who finished sixth at 113 pounds; Nick Shoemaker and Garrett Vines, who took fourth-place honors in the 126 and 138 pound events; and Steven Roberts and John Kaiser, who both finished fifth in the 145 and 170 pound classes.

Mountain Home's other district wrestlers made significant contributions to the school's second-place finish, said team head coach Patrick Starkey.

Justin Lawler, Jacob O'Grady, Lance Lasuen and Tucker Holland went two-for-two at the event while Ryan Grindle, Jack Brown, Jacob Zhulke, Hunter Curtis, Daniel Cruz and Matt Dominguez each picked up a win.

The junior high school team also traveled to Twin Falls this season to attend the Robert Stuart Invitational, finishing second overall with six tournament champions. Doronio and Steven Roberts took first in the seventh-grade division.

In the eighth-grade division, Mederios bumped up a grade and took first along with Salas, Ogaard and Knox.

In the past 10 years, Mountain Home had only one undefeated wrestler, and that was last season, Starkey said.

This year, the junior high school wrestlers redeemed themselves with four champions. Mederios repeated his sixth-grade season to accomplish back-to-back undefeated seasons. He was joined this year by Salas, Ogaard and Knox, who had just finished this year's football season.

Helping Starkey lead the junior high wrestlers included assistants Scott Mederios and Kori Andrews. They will host a takedown camp and tournament this June, which is open to any junior high wrestler.

For more information on the upcoming camp, call the school at 587-2590.