The Cheney Blackhawks varsity wrestling team meets in the center of the mat, minutes before the beginning of their dual meet against the East Valley Knights, Jan. 22.
The Cheney Blackhawks continued their regular season with a league dual against the East Valley Knights, Jan. 22.
The Knights defeated the Blackhawks, 62-15. East Valley became the 2A Great Northern District Wrestling champions. Although Cheney lost the dual in points, there were three Blackhawk wrestlers who put impressive performances in their matches.
Vern Sanderson, at 145 pounds, scored the first points for Cheney when he faced East Valley's Trey Meyer. Seconds into the second round, Sanderson, who was leading the match in points, defended a takedown from Meyer before he brought the East Valley wrestler to the mat and pinned him.
Three bouts after Sanderson's pin, Devon Waterman, at 182, ground out a tough 5-0 decision over East Valley's Hayden Stevens.
In the last match of the evening, Garrett Pederson wrestled the Knights' Tracey Ramsey at 285 pounds. After Pederson began the second round in bottom position, he quickly gained top control and put Ramsey in a half nelson before he got him on his back. Despite Ramsey's attempts to bridge out of the pinning predicament, the referee counted the fall and Pederson got the win.
Blackhawks' head wrestling coach Brad Rassmussen admitted he was a little frustrated with the results of the dual.
"We didn't take care of the little things and that is important in a big match," Rasmussen said. "I did see some good wrestling tonight and that's exciting. We can build off of that and get in some good wrestling during practice."
The Blackhawks will face West Valley in the final dual of the regular season, Jan. 29. The results from that match will be in the Feb. 6 edition of the Cheney Free Press.
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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