Oscar wins 100th, Trojan wrestlers sweep home triangular

Trojan Oscar Galvez presses Redwood Valley's Austin Qurada to the mat during Tuesday night's triangular meet in Worthington. Galvez secured his 100th career victory in his first match against Quad County's Griffin Howard.

By Doug Wolter

January 24, 2023 09:51 PM

WORTHINGTON -- Oscar Galvez began wrestling as a first-grader, but he was too young to understand the details.

“I came out thinking it was WWE, and at first I hated it,” he said. “But my dad said, ‘Once you start something, you don’t quit.’”

Eventually, Oscar began to appreciate the sport. Now he’s a senior at Worthington High School, and on Tuesday night in a triangular meet with Quad County and Redwood Valley at the WHS gym he secured his 100th career victory.

It happened in Worthington’s first match, a 40-36 win over Quad County, and it came at 126 pounds against 10th grader Griffin Howard. Galvez made short work of the sophomore, pinning him in 1:05.

“It’s exciting. One hundred wins, that’s a lot,” said Galvez, who had a hundred implanted in the back of his mind way back in his junior high years. “Actually, since eighth grade when my coach said I already had 20 wins. That’s impressive for an eighth-grader. I was like, ‘I can actually do this.’ But it wasn’t my main focus. It should be like improving in certain situations, not about winning every match.”

Galvez’s determination to improve is paying off in his senior season. In his second match Tuesday, against a solid Redwood Valley senior, Austin Ourada, he competed smartly in a tight bout. He led 4-1 at the end of the first period, saw his lead trimmed to 6-5, but eventually prevailed 12-7. Despite having the match in control during the final seconds, Galvez wrestled hard to the very end.

Not content to rest on his laurels, he has added to his tactics through the years -- especially this season.

“Instead of hitting my regular two shots on different mistakes, I’ve been doing different moves. I’ve got ‘em in my back pocket. Now I’ve got different things; if those two things don’t work, I go to something else.”

Worthington Trojans Mason Schutz is greeted with high fives from the team after winning against Redwood Valley cardinals Evan Reinke by fall in the 195 weight class Tuesday night. — Mason Schutz is greeted with high fives from the team after winning against Redwood Valley's Evan Reinke by fall in the 195-pound weight class Tuesday night.

After the Trojans defeated Quad County, Redwood Valley beat Quad County 50-27 in the second match. In the third and final match, Worthington made it a sweep by rolling up a 22-0 lead on the Cardinals and winning 56-18.

It was Parents’ Night, Senior Night and Meet the Trojans Night on Tuesday.

The second match was easily Worthington’s most impressive of the two.

Worthington Trojans Heavyweight Kasey Gerhard gets the fall against Redwood Valley cardinals Griffin Evans by fall Tuesday night. — Worthington Trojans heavyweight Kasey Gerhard gets the fall against Redwood Valley's Griffin Evans by fall.

Saul Galvez won by forfeit at 106 pounds, then Alex Galvez pinned Redwood’s Gavin Brandt in just 1:30. At 120, freshman Dalton Larson dominated sophomore Tucker Amberg by a 12-2 major decision, and after Oscar Galvez’s win at 126, Trojan Ethan Meyer scored a 15-8 decision over the Cards’ Lucas Fuhr.

Worthington grabbed another victory at 145 pounds as Miat Htoo major decisioned Max Dillon 12-4. Other WHS wins came at 160 where Chase Byrne won by fall, 182 where Evan Neuberger pinned his man in just 49 seconds, 195 where Mason Schutz won by fall, 220 where Win Lwe secured a fan-pleasing third period fall, and at heavyweight where Kasey Gerhard pinned his foe in just 52 seconds.

The Trojans were pinners in the Quad County match, too. Oscar Galvez (126), Meyer (132), Htoo (145), Byrne (152) and Schutz (220) all pinned their opponents. Alex Galvez won by a 10-2 major decision at 113.

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