John Raffel
Sports Scene
Lakeview’s wrestling team is off to one of its best starts in recent years.
A clear indication of that was at the Chippewa Hills Joe Loren Memorial Invitational on December 17. The Wildcats finished a strong fourth place and had two champions plus three runners-up.
Jordan Betham, a state place finisher last year, was first at 160 pounds to improve to 12-1. Koty Burgess was first at 171 pounds and also has a 12-1 record.
Taking second were Gus Ward at 215 pounds and Joe Main at 189. Main had an 11-0 record before suffering his first loss of the season, 9-3 to Steven Malloy of Morley Stanwood, who was also 11-0 at the time of their match.
Andrew Hall was second at 135 pounds and is now 12-1.
“This year we started out well above what we planned on,” coach David Blaser said. “You never want to underestimate a team. We’ve wrestled to our potential and we’ve started out 8-1.”
At Chippewa Hills, the Wildcats brought 14 wrestlers, placed 10, and sent five to the finals.
“We have good numbers, we have good attitudes, a good group of kids that are working hard and it’s all paying off,” Blaser said. “We beat a top-10, quality team in Fremont. It’s good to see all the hard work pay off.”
Last season, Betham was 47-7 and finished fourth in the state at 152 pounds.
“As long as he keeps working hard, he’ll get better,” Blaser said. “When we get better, you never know what will happen when January and February come around.”
It’s Main’s fifth year of organized wrestling. “Team-wise, we beat Fremont, which was top 10 in the state,” he noted. “I’m hoping for state this season. I’m going to try.”
Main attended wrestling camps during the off-season and said he stayed in excellent physical shape. He said double legs has been a major strength. He wants to improve while he’s on top when he’s riding.
“He’s gotten leaps and bounds better,” Blaser said. “He put a ton of work into it during the summer. In my book, he’s a top-five wrestler in his weight class. It’s all confidence. He’s always had the physical ability. He has confidence in all his moves and confidence in himself. That’s where you can see he starts pulling away from the competition.”
Main was also a solid player on Lakeview’s football team and said the two sports complement each other.
“We have a lot of hard [working] wrestlers,” Main said. “We have a good coaching staff, and we’re all working hard.”
Lakeview wouldn’t mind finishing third in a tough Central State Activities Association that’s dominated by state powers Chippewa Hills and Hesperia.
“We hope to make it to team state and do something there,” Main said, adding that “by far” it’s been the best team he’s been on since he’s been in high school.
Blaser noted that Burgess and Ward “are two guys always battling in the practice room.
“They’ve put in a lot of time and a lot of work. They can go as far. I know their goal is to place in the state.”
Hall is a returning two-time state qualifier who has yet to get into the state’s medal round.
“He’s wrestling great so far,” Blaser said. “Hopefully he can keep it up and stay healthy.”
In mid-January, at the Lakeview Invitational, Lakeview had 159.5 points to finish in second behind Belding with 161. Betham won at 152 pounds. Gus Ward was first at 215. Andrew Hall was first at 135, Robby Robbert third at 125, Terry Greiser second at 145, Devin Cavendish was third at 160, Kody Burgess second at 171 and Joe Main second at 189.