Wrestlers defeat Caldwell

The Mountain Home Tigers picked up an SIC 4A conference dual wrestling match win over the Caldwell Cougars last Thursday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium.

The match started at 140 pounds, and Don Thompson wrestled into the second round before he was pinned by his Caldwell opponent.

Kori Andrews lost a 10-5 decision at 145 pounds, and the Tigers trailed 9-0 after two matches.

Chris Knudson won a 7-0 decision at 152 pounds to give Mountain Home its first points of the night.

Matt Ward followed with a pin to tie the match at 9-9.

Kole Spaulding won for the 22nd time in 22 tries when he pinned his opponent in the first round to give Mountain Home a 15-9 lead.

Tyson Sessions battled into the third round before he was pinned, and Caldwell regained the lead, 21-15, when Tiger wrestler Charles Davidson lost a first-round pin, but Lucas Greer pinned his Caldwell opponent in the heavyweight class to tie the match at 21-21.

Nico Hardman lost by pin in the second round at 103 pounds, but Nico Pinque pinned his Cougar opponent to tie the match at 27-27, with four matches left. Kyle Hickerson won by a 17-0 technical fall to put the Tigers up 32-27 in the 119-pound weight class.

Caldwell cut the lead to 32-30 when Tiger wrestler Daniel Doronio lost a 9-2 decision to Caldwell's Doug Anderson.

Going into the 130-pound match, the Tigers needed to win by technical fall or pin to clinch the match, and Nick Hoffer responded with a first-round pin, to put the Tigers up 38-30 with one match left.

Calvin Vivier lost by a second-round pin at 135 pounds to make the final score 38-36, Mountain Home.

"It was nice seeing us get a win at home," said Tiger wrestling coach Lynn Knudson after the match. "I knew it was going to be close, and it was really good to see Nick Hoffer step up and win, it was a long time coming, he's been struggling.

"There were some other kids that stepped up -- Matt Ward at '60, Chris Knudson at '52, they're freshmen, and Kole Spaulding and Kyle Hickerson, always good to see them come through, and Lucas Greer."

Coach Knudson took six Tiger wrestlers to the Tiger-Griz Wrestling Tournament at Skyline High School in Idaho Falls over the weekend, where the Tigers finished 29th out of 32 teams competing from Idaho, Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

Kole Spaulding suffered his first two losses of the season in the tough 171-pound weight class, but came home with a fifth-place medal, after going 5-2 there. He is now 22-2 on the season.

Kyle Hickerson went 4-2 in the 119-pound weight class. Kori Andrews went 2-2 in the 145-pound weight class. Tyson Sessions (189 pounds) and Charles Davidson both picked up wins in their weight classes. Nico Pinque lost two close decisions in the 112-pound class.

The Tigers were at a tri-match last (Tuesday) night at Meridian with Meridian and Eagle, and tomorrow (Thursday) night the Tigers host Bishop Kelly and Boise for a pair of duals beginning at 6 p.m.