Noxon throws weight around at Buzz Lucey

Matt Unrau

Wrestling isn’t a team sport, but that didn’t stop Noxon from putting together a stellar group effort at the Buzz Lucey Invitational on Saturday in Eureka.

Altogether, the Red Devils put together 20 wins in the night compared to 17 losses with five athletes bringing home medals including Ricky Couture coming in 4th place at 135 lb., Caplen Weare coming in 3rd at 171 lb., Rocky Fisher placing 3rd at 189 lb., Cody Martens finishing in 3rd place at Heavyweight and Adam Moore highlighting the night with a 1st place finish at 171 lb.

“It’s probably the best showing that we’ve had at a tournament with how many kids placed. I was pleased with the team,” says Head Wrestling Coach Kelly Moore.

The match of the night for Noxon came from Martens who lost a close semifinal bout 2-3 against his Frenchtown opponent. Martens suffered two takedowns early in the match, then escaped to close within 1-2 and then in the third round each wrestler scored a point as Marten’s opponent got a penalty point by locking his hands and escaped for the 2-3 loss.

“It was a good match,” says Moore. “They were all good matches.”

As for the Coach’s son, Adam has only lost one match in his junior year and pinned his opponent Jarrod Wishert of Frenchtown in the first period for the championship.

The showing leaves Coach Moore with high hopes in the state tournament not only for Adam, but for the whole team.

“I got hopes for Rocky Fisher and Caplen Weare to make it to state, Cody and Adam and if I can sneak in a few more I would be happy,” says Moore. “That’s what our goal is we’re working for the divisoinal and state tourney.”

So far Martens has a 500 record on the year, Weare is 16-5 in matches, Fisher is 12-4, Couture is 7-10 as a Freshman wrestler and Tyler Gottschlich is 9-6.

Coach Moore also is happy that his younger wrestlers are continuing to gain a lot of experience in the ring and expects the more time in the ring to pay off later in the season.

The meet in Eureka is the last meet in 2008 for Noxon. Their next meet in the Mission Mountain Classic in St. Ignatius on January 2. It will be a break much needed for Noxon as several wrestlers are dealing with nagging injuries and several of the players were sick with the flu for the Superior meet.