Wrestling with success

By TODD DEWEY

VIEW STAFF WRITER

Rancho High School appears to be the favorite to win the inaugural Sunrise Region wrestling title, but Las Vegas and Silverado could both make a run at the Rams this year.

The Wildcats are coming off a season in which they placed second in Southern Nevada last season -- behind two-time defending state champion Cimarron-Memorial -- and finished 10th in the state.

Las Vegas returns two wrestlers who placed at the state tournament and five who placed in Southern Nevada.

Jacob Hales, a senior, finished second in the state at 189 pounds. He'll compete at 215 pounds this year.

"He's just a real talented athlete. He's a great football player as well," coach Joe LaRocco said. "I think he's definitely one of the better kids in the state. I think there's a real good shot (at a state title). If he does as well as he should, he should be in contention for it."

Troy Hallewell gives the Wildcats another returning conference champion. The senior finished fourth in the state at heavyweight last season and LaRocco has been impressed with him this year.

"He's come a long way mentally. He's just a different wrestler than he was a year ago," LaRocco said.

Hallewell came on strong at the end of last year and avenged losses in all of his matches en route to the conference crown.

"He really improved at the end of the year. Nobody expected him to do what he did," LaRocco said. "Now he always finds ways to win matches. I'm hoping he does well again and places at state again. Maybe he can win it."

Greg Gifford, a junior, placed second in Southern Nevada at 171 pounds last season. His older brother Eddie won a state title for Las Vegas a few years ago and his younger brother Chris, a freshman, is fighting for mat time at 160 pounds, where Evan Ellsworth is the starter. The junior finished fourth in Southern Nevada last year.

Rodrigo Sison, a senior, also finished fourth in the conference, at 135 pounds.

"He's really improved," LaRocco said. "He's a very technical wrestler and he's fun to watch. He worked real hard in the offseason."

Other wrestlers expected to contribute include Lawrence Lopez and David Hales, Jacob's younger brother. Lopez, a 152-pound junior, and David Hales, a 189-pound sophomore, both captured conference crowns for the Las Vegas junior varsity team last year.

"We're tough in the upper weights and hopefully we'll be competitive in the lower weights by the end of the season," said LaRocco, who's squad started the season 2-0, including a tournament win at Foothill High. "Our goals are always to win the states, but that doesn't always happen. We'd like to win the regional tournament -- it's tough, but it's a legitimate goal -- and hopefully qualify enough guys to win the states.

"I think we have a shot to do all of those things. I think we have as good a shot as anybody."

Silverado feels the same way.

The Skyhawks finished first in the Southeast Division, eighth in Southern Nevada and 11th in the state last year. They return two wrestlers who placed in the top three in the state.

Michael Castle placed second in the state at 112 pounds. The junior will wrestle at 119 this year. V.R. Bohman, a senior, took third in the state at heavyweight last year.

"We're looking to do good in our division and improve on last year's record," said Silverado coach Bob Clements. "I think we'll definitely improve and our chances are good to stay on top of our division. As far as zone and state, we want to improve on both of those."