JASON BEAN/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | Las Vegas’ Napoleon Aniciete, right, gets the upper hand on Liberty’s Michael Reveles in the 140-pound championship match of the Class 4A state wrestling tournament Saturday at Cox Pavilion. Aniciete won a 13-4 decision to help the Wildcats cruise to the team title.
STATE MEET: Oh, brother: Wildcats cruise to 4A title

POSTED: Saturday February 20, 2010

By SEAN WALKER
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Las Vegas High wrestlers Napoleon Aniciete and Alex Aniciete always have been alike.
 
“My brother and I are almost exactly a like,” Napoleon Aniciete said. “We’re similar in all things — the way we act, the way we talk, the way we are, the way we look.”
 
Freshman Alex Aniciete became a bit more like his brother Saturday night at Cox Pavilion when he won the Class 4A 130-pound state wrestling championship. Older brother Napoleon, a junior, took first at 140.
 
“We’ve been talking about this since we were little kids,” the older Aniciete said after his 13-4 decision of Liberty’s Michael Reveles in the finals. “It’s great. We both get to share it together. And our team won, so it’s a story we get to share with the whole team, the family.”
 
The Wildcats stormed to the 4A team title with 135 points. Churchill County finished second with 66½, and Green Valley was third with 56.
 
“This is what we expected, but we try not to be cocky; we just try to say we’re confident, and we wanted to come in here and make a statement,” said Greg Gifford, a 2002 Las Vegas graduate in his first season as Wildcats head coach. “Hopefully we build Vegas up to be the program that it was when I was competing, where we win back-to-back state championships.”
 
Napoleon Aniciete transferred to Las Vegas after winning a title his freshman year for Bishop Gorman and was forced to sit out his sophomore season.
 
“It feels just as good,” Aniciete said of winning this year. “I had to take a year off, so this year I had to come back strong, and as hard as I can, because I had to prove to myself and everybody else that I should’ve been here wrestling last year.”
 
Alex Aniciete became the first Las Vegas state champion of 2010 with a 9-2 win over Green Valley’s Anthony Simpson. Aniciete threw Simpson to his back early in the first period and continued to set the pace.
 
The younger Aniciete entered his finals match with an air of confidence. “My whole life has been training for this moment right here,” he said.
 
Las Vegas got off to a rough start in the finals, with 112-pounder De’Armon Hall and 119-pounder Nathaniel Garcia losing, but rebounded with the Anicietes. Hall lost 7-5 to Reno’s Bettinson, and Churchill County’s Colin Merkley pinned Garcia.
 
Trey McElhaney took first at 215 pounds for Las Vegas, defeating Robert Hubert of Silverado, 7-4.
 
“I’ve wrestled since third grade, and I’ve always been the fat kid that shoots,” said McElhaney, who has signed to play football at Dixie State. “When I got to high school, I filled my body out a little bit more and learned to shoot.”
 
The Wildcats also got help in the semifinals, with Johnathan Hales placing third at 189 and Austin Woo taking home the bronze medal at 285.
 
Bishop Gorman 152-pounder Steven Hernandez became Nevada’s eighth four-time state champion by defeating Green Valley’s Daniel Allen 13-8 in the finals. The Gaels’ Johnny Field was second at 171 pounds.
 
Foothill’s Sean Miller (103), Cimarron-Memorial’s Aaron Garcia (189) and Sierra Vista’s Andrew Ramos (285) also won individual championships.
 
Class 4A
Team Scores
Las Vegas 135, Churchill County 66, Green Valley 56, Bishop Manogue 55, Carson 55, Palo Verde 54, Reno 50, Spring Valley 43, Bishop Gorman 42, Cimarron-Memorial 38, Sierra Vista 35, Shadow Ridge 34, Spanish Springs 30, Eldorado 28, Liberty 27, Silverado 27, Valley 26, Douglas 25, Damonte Ranch 23, Wooster 22, Foothill 21, Arbor View 20Reed 18, Legacy 16, Basic 12, Cheyenne 8, Bonanza 8, McQueen 4, Canyon Springs 3, Rancho 2, Durango 1, Elko 1
Championship Matches
103—Miller, FH, p. Hart, PV, 5:30.  112—Bettinson, Ren, d. Hall, LV, 7-5. 119—Merkley, CC, p. Garcia, LV, 4:48. 125—LaValle, Ren, d. Spates, Dou, 15-8. 130—A. Aniciete, LV, d. Simpson, GV, 9-2. 135—Schlager, Car, d. Garrison, CM, 6-4. 140—N. Aniciete, LV, d. M. Reveles, Lib, 13-4. 145—Elicegui, Woo, d. Ray Waters, SVal, 14-12 OT. 152—Hernandez, BG, d. Allen, GV, 13-8. 160—McDonald, BM, d. Hodge, Val, 9-6. 171—Albright, BM, d. Field, BG, 3-1. 189—Garcia, CM, d. Prieto, LV, 3-1. 215—McElhaney, LV, d. Hubert, Sil, 7-4. 285—Ramos, SVis, d. Williams, Eld, 5-3.
Third-place Matches
103—Lampert, SS, d. McDonald, BM, 15-4. 112—Mestas, SR, d. Perry, GV, 8-6. 119—Magdael, Bas, d. Ugarte, Car. 125—Saldana, GV, d. ONeil, DR, 6-2. 130—DeBraga, CC, d. Buckhannon, PV. 135—Educate, PV, d. Price, Eld, 10-3. 140—Caruso, AV, d. Preus, PV, 9-5. 145—Washington, SR, p. Heck, CC, :51. 152—Dassinger, Reed, d. Sanchez, CC, 12-4. 160—Ras. Waters, SVal, d. R. Reveles, Lib, 3-2.  171—Valladares, Car, d. Coleman, SS, 16-6. 189—Hales, LV, d. Killgore, DR, 3-1. 215—White, Leg, p. Flores, Val, 1:34. 285—Woo, LV, d. Bowman, Sil, 3-2, 3OT.
 

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29 Responses to "STATE MEET: Oh, brother: Wildcats cruise to 4A title"



i think that wrestling is an unpredictable sport and that it should be looked at as an individual sport and not as a team. it sucks that if you have one really good person on your team and the rest are just garbage. and this goes out to Justin Gullick at clark school of high and he is a 119 and he could have gone to state but i blew out his knees with a hammer so he couldnt walk for weeks.

Written by: big d swagg on Wednesday, May.5, 2010 at 10:9 AM



i am for sure the best wrestler in state

Written by: big d swagg on Monday, May.3, 2010 at 10:42 AM



mmm i just burnt my tongue

Written by: guy on Sunday, Mar.7, 2010 at 11:41 PM



How Is Silverado not on the top 10 worst teams list? They suck really bad as a team, they only have like 2 or 3 guys!

Written by: Mr. Chung on Monday, Mar.1, 2010 at 7:24 PM



1-Las Vegas -- 2-Green Valley -- 3-Palo Verde -- 4-Spring Valley -------------The top 4 southern state tournament teams did very well in duals as well

Written by: Sandersen on Sunday, Feb.28, 2010 at 10:33 AM



1-Las Vegas 135 2-Green Valley 56 3-Palo Verde 54 4-Spring Valley The top 4 southern state tournament teams did very well in duals as well

Written by: Sandersen on Saturday, Feb.27, 2010 at 7:45 PM



10 Worst Teams In Southern Nevada (4A): 1. Sunrise Mountain 2. Mojave 3. Clark 4. Chaparral 5. Legacy 6. Coranado 7. Rancho 8. Durango 9. Bishop Gorman 10. Valley I'd say this is about accurate.

Written by: Pancake on Saturday, Feb.27, 2010 at 3:15 PM



I don't think team scores in state really matter. Except for the first place teams. There's teams like Bishop Gorman where two kids go to state and make the whole team place 5th. Bishop Gorman as a team is horrible, and get slaughtered in dual meets. Some good dual teams such as Shadow Ridge, Basic, Liberty, Arbor View, and Bonanza didn't place a bunch in state, but are still pretty strong and respectable programs. That's why I'd say that list below is pretty accurate.

Written by: Mr. Bug on Saturday, Feb.27, 2010 at 2:51 PM



Hey did anyone see Bronson Ashjian throw his baby fit when he lost to Miller. LEarn to take a loss like a man instead of a baby. That's what got u disqualified dummy

Written by: HAHA on Saturday, Feb.27, 2010 at 2:48 PM



1-Las Vegas 135 2-Green Valley 56 3-Palo Verde 54 4-Spring Valley 43 5-Bishop Gorman 42 6-Cimarron-Memorial 38 7-Sierra Vista 35 8-Shadow Ridge 34 9 -Eldorado 28 10-Liberty 27 11-Silverado 27 Listed above is the order that the Southern Nevada teams finished at the states this year. If duals are included in this hierarchy then it would be slightly different.

Written by: Sad the season is over on Friday, Feb.26, 2010 at 8:4 PM



Southern Nevada Rankings: 1. Las Vegas 2. Green Valley 3. Shadow Ridge 4. Palo Verde 5. Spring Valley 6. Basic 7. Liberty 8. Arbor View 9. Bonanza 10. Canyon Springs I'd say this is about right...

Written by: Wrestling Fan on Friday, Feb.26, 2010 at 1:51 PM



Southern Nevada Rankings: 1. Las Vegas 2. Green Valley 3. Shadow Ridge 4. Palo Verde 5. Spring Valley 6. Basic 7. Liberty 8. Arbor View 9. Bonanza 10. Canyon Springs I'd say this is about right...

Written by: Smart Guy on Friday, Feb.26, 2010 at 1:47 PM



Finals are finally up on flowrestling.com

Written by: wrestling fan on Wednesday, Feb.24, 2010 at 11:23 PM



All due respect to Field, Albright taking that victory was anything but a fluke. He was the reigning state champion in the 60's, and is getting Big 12 looks etc. Field is legit for sure. I saw him compete in the tournament of Champions (which I think he won?). Those two are the best wrestlers in the state at any weight. Albright is a national caliber guy right there with Field. Wish I could have seen it. Too bad someone had to lose.

Written by: Not a fluke on Wednesday, Feb.24, 2010 at 11:3 PM



Johnny field losing was a fluke. That kid is an athlete and possibly one of the best wrestlers for his weight class ive seen. And come on he is also one of the best baseball players in the state. That kid deserves everything he has earned. Good job to Albright you must have had a heck of a match to beat johnny. Congrats to all you guys!

Written by: fluke on Wednesday, Feb.24, 2010 at 10:16 PM



Okay I guess spring valley is in the top four in Vegas haha parent99 ur a fool stop embarrasing yourself and what happened to shadow I thought they sent like 8 guys to state? Oh well

Written by: Yeeee on Monday, Feb.22, 2010 at 10:30 PM



Parent99, if you won't apologize for what you said about Spring Valley, maybe you could say your sorry for being STUPID.

Written by: Ventimiglia on Monday, Feb.22, 2010 at 7:26 PM



Well I am here to say what happend to Spring Valley. I was told by all their faithful fans that they were one of the top 3 teams in Vegas. Well lets see how they did over the last 2 weeks. At regions you came in 5th. At state you came in 8th. And how many state champions did you have? That would be ZERO. So how could you say Spring Valley is one of the top 3 teams in vegas? I guess I dont need to apolgize do I. HAHAHAHAHA

Written by: parent99 on Monday, Feb.22, 2010 at 4:5 PM



If anyone knows where i can watch the matches please tell me.

Written by: fan on Monday, Feb.22, 2010 at 3:16 PM



Arbor View didnt do that well because there stalling tactics were never going to work at state. Maybe there coach trying to die his hair blond turning out orange had something to do with it too. lol. Good job to the Green Valley wrestler who took on Hernandez, taking Hernandez down was something he was not expecting kudos to you. Congrats to all the wrestlers in town for finishing your season strong!

Written by: wresting fan on Monday, Feb.22, 2010 at 8:21 AM



To the wildcat fan, Vegas wasn't looking all that great in dual meets to be honest. They were the pre-season favorites to win the state championship. But it was close between them and a bunch of other schools that didn't really even make it to the state meet. Also, to the other person. Cimarron might rebuild. But I don't know about Mojave, they lost their coach that took them to back-to-back state championships. That has completely challenged them. But good job to Vegas!

Written by: Elliot on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 7:47 PM



we can't forget how down the whole sunset was this year... Schools like Cimarron and Mojave won't look like that for long. They are definitely going to rebuild. So that was a huge roadblock out of LVHS's way this year.

Written by: and don't forget.. on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 6:6 PM



Greg Gifford Quote “Hopefully we build Vegas up to be the program that it was when I was competing, where we win back-to-back state championships.” This guy inherited an All Star team that has won the regionals 10 times in a row. The foundation was built by Larocco and maintained by Thomas and then they got Mcelhaney and the Anicete's who have been wrestling for a long time to really put a lock on this championship team. All he had to do was make sure they stayed eligible and the championship was in the bag. To make comments about how your going to build this thing up might lead people to believe that the program was ailing when all you have to do is roll the balls out and let them play.

Written by: Intelligent Wildcat on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 1:13 PM



I don't think flow was there, but i saw someone filming all the finals

Written by: wrestler on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 10:27 AM



Does anyone know where i can watch the finals

Written by: mark1 on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 9:36 AM



Sean Miller is a B. A. and he's got one more year left look out fools. Congrats on being foothill first state champ.

Written by: Yo mamma on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 9:9 AM



the durango kid only won one match, how could you even say he is that good.

Written by: jane on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 8:23 AM



drew harbinson fron durango should have place! thats my boy and hes bettter then the state champ!

Written by: fan on Sunday, Feb.21, 2010 at 3:29 AM



Arbor View really had a poor showing at state for as good as they thought they were.

Written by: wrestling fan on Saturday, Feb.20, 2010 at 11:57 PM