Hinojosa brings home championship, team improving

    Chase County Assistant Coach Jeff Rusher was pleased with the improvement shown by his wrestling squad Saturday in Valentine.
    There were a couple small mistakes that may have cost the Longhorns a match or two but overall the team is progressing nicely, he said.
    Despite the fact that Chase County only took six wrestlers due to sickness and injuries, the team finished in ninth out of a field of 17 teams, of which many are in Chase County’s district tourney at the end of the season.
    Eli Hinojosa kept his record perfect at heavyweight with four more wins and another championship medal. It took less than six minutes to win his way into the championship match, where he would face Nathan Lauder of Alliance.
    Hinojosa, who will drop to 220 pounds after the Christmas break, was giving up a lot of weight to Lauder but was able to control the match and take an 8-3 decision to bring home the gold.
    In the 152 pound weight class, Trevor Peterson advanced to the semifinals. This would be a rematch with Joel Myers from the Broken Bow tourney where Peterson lost by decision 1-11.
    This time around, Peterson closed the gap, losing a 2-3 decision which came down to a shot at a takedown in the closing seconds of the match that was denied by Myers.
    Peterson went on to win his next two matches and bring home a third place finish.
    At 182, Evan Fisher had a stacked bracket. After pinning Taylor Yancy of Cozad in his first match, Fisher faced last year’s state runner-up from Valentine, Donald Stephen.

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