Raiders Defeat Raines High 48 - 30

    In a tune-up for the season's toughest tournament, the Raiders traveled to the home of the Raines Vikings and came out with a close 48 - 30 victory.  "The score should not have been that close," Head Coach Chad Parker said.  "But when you give up pins, that is exactly what happens.  There are few guys are just not getting it right now, and they have to.  Now."

    The match started at 130 pounds with back up Aldo Vassallo wrestling a tough Raines wrestler.  "Right now, Aldo looks like what he is," Parker said.  "A first year wrestler who battles.  He wrestles they way he is coached.  He just needs some more experience and he'll be fine."

    At 135 team pin-leader Daniel Wolfe upped his season record to 14 - 6.  "Wolfe has 12 pins on the season," Parker said.  "As a sophomore that's pretty impressive.  He's a good wrestler who's really putting things together.  Putting moves together, really getting into the flow of wrestling in all positions at all times."

    140 junior Jordan Muntain suffered a loss via pin.  "Muntain is almost there," Parker said.  "He's just got to find a way to not make that critical mistake.  A lot of that is experience, which he doesn't have a lot of.  His ability is off the chart, and he's a smart kid.  I'm confident he'll get it figured out soon. He has to."

    Tommy Li, wrestling at 145 was dominant with a first period pin.  "Li is kid that has a lot of funky stuff he can hit," Parker said.  "Now that he has a great control of the basics, his wrestling has reached another level."

    Team Captain Levi Duvall moved up a weight, to 160 and looked to be in trouble early in his match.  "Every one on the team could learn a few lessons from watching Duvall wrestle," Parker said.  "He gave two early takedowns, and kept wrestling, kept pushing the pace.  In the end, he trusted his training, trusted himself and his ability, and ended up with the pin.  One-hundred percent effort, one-hundred percent of the time.  Sometimes it means you are going to be losing in a match.  Do what it takes to get that next score, for the rest of the match and good things happen."

    Also moving up a weight, Joseph Gonzalez lost by pin.  "Gonzalez is a senior," Parker said.  "And what that means is there is a sense of personal accountability that must be powerful than any other circumstance.  He's another guy who is just so close to getting to that next level.  He needs to stop making that critical mistake.  The good thing is, he wants to.  He wants to improve and I see that in the room everyday.  He'll get there."

    At 189 senior Kimani Leecan lost a 7 - 1 decision to his Raines opponent.  "I'm proud of where Leecan is at right now," Parker said.  "He's come such a long way from being a bad, overweight wrestler, to be honest.  He busted his butt to be as fit as he is and be as a good of a wrestler he is.  Now its time for him to start believing that."

    Richard Brown, at 215, also lost via decision.  "Brown lost 6 - 3," Parker said.  "But he got the first takedown.  If you can take your opponent down once, you can take him down a hundred times.  Brown is a kid who also forgets the hard work he has put in, and the ability he has.  He must have an absolute belief that he is a good wrestler because he has the ability to wrestle every match, and every second of that match, at a high pace.  What's hurting his wrestling is between the ears.  I've got to find a way to get in there, and I think I will."

    Another backup in the line-up due to injury, Austin Turner turned in an inspiring performance at heavyweight.  "Even though Turner lost by pin," Parker said, "He inspired the rest of the line-up, with his effort."  Although Turner was much smaller than his Raines opponent, he had the opportunity for a tide-turning pin.  "He had a cradle locked up," Parker said, "and then forgot he was wrestling a heavyweight.  He tried to roll through it, and ended up on his back.  Had he gotten his head up, I truly think he wins that match.  He battled."

    At 103, freshman Jacob Allen added another pin to his record.  "Allen had an injury early in the season that caused him to miss some time," Parker said.  "He's getting back into the groove and we are really excited about his potential."

    Timothy Lattimore, wrestling at 112 also pinned his Raines opponent in the first period.  "My only wish," Parker said, "is that he had started earlier.  This kid is a second year wrestler and is wrestling well beyond his years.  He's someone who is really starting to believe in his ability.  He knows that he can wrestle with anyone in the state.  He was a match away from state a year ago.  He has big goals, and just as big a work ethic."

    Sophomore Luke Frame picked up a pin in dominating fashion.  "Frame is probably one of the meanest kids on the team," Parker said.  "He brings a real physical style to his matches.  It gets him into trouble sometimes, but I'll take over-aggressiveness any day."

    Ending the dual at a 125, sophomore Nick Morf pinned his Vikings opponent.  "Morf is really starting to come around," Parker said.  "It's tough when you come from another program, where you wrestle a different style.  Morf is starting to wrestle the way we drill in practice.  It's showing in his results.  I like where he's at.  He's another kid that his teammates can learn from.  He does not get pinned.  He doesn't get pinned because he fights to get off his back, like his life depended on it."

    "I like where we are, going into Flagler [Invitational Tournament]," Parker said.  "This tournament is going to show us all our warts.  There is no hiding in this tournament and placing by luck.  Any victory you get at this tournament is earned.  I'm not looking for a particular number of guys to place or for a team placement.  I want one-hundred percent effort, 100 percent of the time.  Battle for every inch, take your victory.  It doesn't matter who the opponent is."