Wrestlers place fourth at state tourney

Wrapping up the Wolverine wrestling season, Weiser travelled to the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa for the state tournament this past weekend. Weiser qualified 21 athletes to compete but due to unforeseen circumstances, only 19 athletes were able to compete during the event.
 Weiser ended up taking fourth place as a team this year and was just eight points shy of third place.
 The Wolverines had eight athletes place in the event and Elijah Carter took first place for Weiser at 220 pounds.
 This year’s tournament took place in just one day due to COVID-19 protocols and took a toll on many wrestlers who weren’t used to completing five to six matches in one day.
 At a normal state tournament a wrestler might have to wrestler three to four matches in a day and by rule they are not supposed to wrestle more than four matches during any day at any tournament, but this season has been all about rolling with the punches for the Wolverines.
 Billy Nevarez and Rafael Delgadillo each had to wrestle six matches to place for the Wolverines.
 Kooper von Brethorst, Maddox Stevens, Clayton Beesley, and Rylee Willet each had to wrestle five matches to place as well.
 Elijah Carter and Jesse Lockett each wrestled four matches including the championship match.
 Jesse Lockett, a junior wrestling at 285 pounds has been pretty phenomenal all season long. Jesse has wrestled kids much larger than him and this championship match wasn’t much different.
 Most heavy weight matches start out with a sort of “dance” that takes place. Lots of pushing and pulling and locking hands and arms, and this match was pretty much what Lockett was used to all year.
 Lockett was down going into the third period and had a great opportunity to grab a head and an arm and throw his opponent to his back in the pin position, but the referee was on the opposite side of the throw and didn’t see the arm included in the move. The referee blew the whistle, stopping Lockett from pinning his opponent and instead said it was an illegal move and awarded Lockett’s opponent with a point. Time ran down and Lockett had to settle for second place in a highly contested match argued by Head Coach Drew Dickerson.
 Last year Lockett placed third place for the Wolverines and has wrestled strong all year long.
 Previous to Lockett’s match, Elijah Carter, a senior at 220 pounds, wrestled in his championship match. His match looked a lot like Lockett’s with the hand and arm locks and the “dancing” that you normally see with the heavier weights. Carter’s match was a little bit of a roller coaster with each wrestler scoring points along the way.
 In the third period, Carter was down by two points when he took down his opponent and rolled him to his back for the pin and win. After being announced champion, Carter ran towards Drew Dickerson who waved Carter off from jumping into his arms as the rest of the team cheered and laughed.
 “State champion isn’t something that I take lightly because I know how hard it is to win,” Dickerson said. “Elijah has been tough, determined, and focused this year and his hard work paid off today. I am proud of all my wrestlers today and not all of them earned the success that they deserved, but they did work hard and helped their team to earn a fourth place trophy today,” Dickerson added.
 Elijah Carter earned 28 points for his team and Jesse Lockett earned 24.
 Finishing at sixth place for the Wolverines was Billy Nevarez, 98 pounds and Rafael Delgadillo, 113 pounds.
 Taking fifth for Weiser was Clayton Beesley at 152 pounds and Rylee Willet at 220 pounds.
 Third place finishers were Kooper von Brethorst at 138 pounds, and Maddox Stevens at 152 pounds.
 Congratulations Weiser wrestlers and thank you for a great year.