The Carson High wrestling team showed its among the state's best in the early season.
Carson placed second at the Coronado Invitational in Henderson in the 16-team tournament, which featured most of Southern Nevada's top teams. Carson was edged out for the title by Palo Verde 225-206.5. Palo Verde placed second in last year's NIAA/U.S. Bank 4A State Championships.
Two Carson wrestlers, Chris Ceccarelli (160 pounds) and Nick Shine (215) won titles while two others, Paul Carter (140) and Micah Whitcome (152) placed second. Thirteen of Carson's 14 wrestlers placed in the event.
"We're right there with them," said Carson coach Dean Schmanski about Palo Verde. "We had an impressive showing."
Schmanski said his team's conditioning is becoming a factor. "We would win many matches in the third round," Schmanski said. "Our hard practices are really beginning to pay off."
Ceccarelli won 9-5 in the finals against a wrestler who came in with an 11-0 mark, winning all his matches by pin.
"Chris Ceccarelli just dominated the match until the end," Schmanski said. "Chris Ceccarelli stepped it up the whole tournament."
Shine won his last two matches by pin. "He just dominated," Schmanski said.
Whitcome lost to Bonanza's Donnie Smith 6-4 in overtime in the finals. Carter lost 9-5 in the finals.
It was a frustrating match for Carter, who was going against a wrestler who used stalling tactics to hold onto the lead. "Paul wrestled very well," Schmanski said.
Eric Aguilera placed third at 112. "Eric stepped it up really well, too," Schmanski said.
Other Carson wrestlers who placed were: Kevin Riggin (119), sixth; Tyler Preston (125), seventh; Sergio Calvillo (130), sixth; Chris White (135), fifth; Loren Wooldridge (145), fifth; Anthony Nunez (171), sixth; Allen Wooldridge (189), fourth; and Jason Klug (heavyweight), fifth.
Klug has taken over for Mike Moore, who is out for the season with a knee injury. "That's a nice thing about having depth," Schmanski said.
