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AUBURN — Bear River headed down Highway 49 for its dual meet with Placer intent on unseating the defending Pioneer Valley League wrestling champions.
But when the mats were rolled up and carted out of Earl Crabbe Gymnasium Thursday night, it was clear that the Bruins still have some work ahead of them if they are to one day climb to the top the PVL standings.
Bear River’s Blake Mitchell eked out a 7-5 win in the 103-pound match, but the Hillmen answered emphatically with six straight wins — four by pin — as Placer pounded out a 60-12 victory over the Bruins.
Placer posted nine wins by pin, totaling 54 of the Hillmen’s team points.
“I was definitely surprised by the point margin,” said Bear River coach Kevin Figueroa, whose Bruins suffered their first PVL dual meet defeat of the season. “It was a humbling experience.
“But I saw a lot of heart out there. We just had some simple mistakes that (Placer) capitalized very well on.”
After Mitchell gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead in team scoring, the Hillmen ran off 33 unanswered points to take firm control of the match.
Once Bruin senior Josiah Georgeson stopped the bleeding with an 11-4 win over Steven Cox at 145 pounds, Bear River still trailed 33-6.
Jarrett Paoletti, a junior, then gave the Bruins their only back-to-back wins of the night with a pin at 152 pounds, bringing the score to 33-12. But Bear River could not find the win column the rest of the night, as the Hillmen took the final five matches. Once Tyler Hickman pinned Bear River’s Peter Bahrman at 171 pounds, the Hillmen officially had the match in hand with a 42-12 score.
“I knew they were a tough team,” said Placer coach Jess Stiff. “We definitely did not take them lightly. They’ve come a long way the past few years.
“But once we got on that roll, our guys don’t like to let up. And momentum is huge in a dual meet.”
The Bruins won’t have much time to dwell on the defeat, with today’s Tim Brown Memorial Tournament in Sacramento starting this morning. The quick turnaround could be just the thing the Bruins need to move forward.
Despite the loss, Figueroa said his Bruins aren’t that far from contending for a league crown.
“We’re probably a year away, if we stay focused like we have been,” Figueroa said. “We’ll get there if we keep taking the little steps like we’ve been taking.”
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
But when the mats were rolled up and carted out of Earl Crabbe Gymnasium Thursday night, it was clear that the Bruins still have some work ahead of them if they are to one day climb to the top the PVL standings.
Bear River’s Blake Mitchell eked out a 7-5 win in the 103-pound match, but the Hillmen answered emphatically with six straight wins — four by pin — as Placer pounded out a 60-12 victory over the Bruins.
Placer posted nine wins by pin, totaling 54 of the Hillmen’s team points.
“I was definitely surprised by the point margin,” said Bear River coach Kevin Figueroa, whose Bruins suffered their first PVL dual meet defeat of the season. “It was a humbling experience.
“But I saw a lot of heart out there. We just had some simple mistakes that (Placer) capitalized very well on.”
After Mitchell gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead in team scoring, the Hillmen ran off 33 unanswered points to take firm control of the match.
Once Bruin senior Josiah Georgeson stopped the bleeding with an 11-4 win over Steven Cox at 145 pounds, Bear River still trailed 33-6.
Jarrett Paoletti, a junior, then gave the Bruins their only back-to-back wins of the night with a pin at 152 pounds, bringing the score to 33-12. But Bear River could not find the win column the rest of the night, as the Hillmen took the final five matches. Once Tyler Hickman pinned Bear River’s Peter Bahrman at 171 pounds, the Hillmen officially had the match in hand with a 42-12 score.
“I knew they were a tough team,” said Placer coach Jess Stiff. “We definitely did not take them lightly. They’ve come a long way the past few years.
“But once we got on that roll, our guys don’t like to let up. And momentum is huge in a dual meet.”
The Bruins won’t have much time to dwell on the defeat, with today’s Tim Brown Memorial Tournament in Sacramento starting this morning. The quick turnaround could be just the thing the Bruins need to move forward.
Despite the loss, Figueroa said his Bruins aren’t that far from contending for a league crown.
“We’re probably a year away, if we stay focused like we have been,” Figueroa said. “We’ll get there if we keep taking the little steps like we’ve been taking.”
To contact Sports Editor Brian Hamilton, e-mail bhamilton@theunion.com or call 477-4240.
