Corning Invitational packs 'em in

With mats stretched three-wide in both gymnasiums on the Corning High campus, Corning became the center of the wrestling universe for grapplers in the north state over the weekend. Saturday was the annual Corning Invitational, and the school's wrestling coaches, as well as the wrestling parents and support staff, did a remarkable job of coordinating all the details - from the large down to the minute - that are essential in carrying off a tournament of such size.

A sound system carried announcements of which wrestlers needed to be on any of the six mats at any given time, and a hospitality room second to none offered a spread of appetizers, entrees and desserts that assuredly kept a few wrestling coaches and sports editors from "making weight" Monday morning.

With partisan cheering sections offering vocal support at full volume, the action began on the mats, as did the excitement in the stands.

Just as they have done to Butte View League and non-league opponents all season, it was Orland High dominating for the team title among the 51 teams in attendance, scoring 212 team points, and also sending three Trojan wrestlers to the top spot on the winners' podium. Hermilo Esquivel (114 pounds), Nathan Monck (121) and Christian Wathen (137) picked up gold medals for Orland.

Placing in the top-seven for the Trojans were: Taylor Enck, 105 (5th); Jimmy Gamboa, 127 (5th); Justin Hill, 132 (3rd); Jacob Mertz, 142 (3rd); Bret Schumann, 154 (3rd); and Casey Gingerich, 173 (3rd).

Willows High also boasted an individual champion in Aron Garcia (132), and narrowly missed cracking the top 10 in the team competition, finishing 13th with 68 points.

Individuals in the top-seven were: Jeno Yang, 114 (7th); Jason Powell, 142 (5th); and Jared Stein, 162 (3rd).

Corning High, while not having an individual winner, amassed enough points as a squad to finish sixth.

Cardinals in the top-seven were: Nathan Fultz, 105 (7th); Tanner Johnson, 121 (3rd); Cole Holland, 137 (5th); Calvin Meister, 147 (2nd); Billy Crawford, 154 (2nd); and Thomas Marshall, 217 (5th).

Craig Purcell is sports editor for Tri-County Newspapers. Contact him at 824-1036 or cpurcell@tcnpress.com.

2010 Corning Invitational

Individual Champions

105 - Alex Moreo, Modoc

114 - Hermilo Esquivel, Orland

121 - Nathan Monck, Orland

127 - Jerry Bjerkland, Anderson

132 - Aron Garcia, Willows

137 - Christian Wathen, Orland

142 - Cody Pack, Quincy

147 - Josh Dye, Central Valley

154 - Desmond Rios, Pleasant Valley

162 - Marcus Zachary, Anderson

173 - Gary Albright, Bishop Manogue

191 - Brock Westlake, Reed

217 - Darren Lee, Lassen

287 - Kenny Young, Pleasant Valley

Team Standings Top 10

Orland (212)

Henley (153)

Anderson (141)

Durham (120)

Pleasant Valley (120)

Corning (113)

Bishop Manogue (113)

Modoc (103)

Shasta (81.5)

West Valley (80)