CHS boys place four in top eight at Randall meet

CANYON — Four Clovis High boys placed in the top eight and the Wildcats earned a 14th-place finish out of 24 teams last Thursday in the Randall Ruckus wrestling tournament, hosted by Canyon Randall H.S.

Junior Semaj Satcher had the best finish for the Cats, placing fourth in the 195-pound division. Meantime, junior Michael Tree was sixth at 170, junior Joe Chavira placed seventh at 220 and freshman Berry Kaell took eighth at 120.

Host Randall took team honors with 247 points to 204 1/2 for Canyon High. Clovis’ District 4-5A rivals, Carlsbad and Hobbs, finished third with 179 points and seventh with 154 1/2, respectively.

Only two Lady Wildcats, senior Yazmean Ledesma at 138 pounds and sophomore Nikole Weeden at 120, made the trip to Caynon. Neither placed in the tournament.

CHS coach Eric Zottneck said his first-year squads are making progress as the season goes.

“I believe that, going into the midseason right now, we’re exactly where we need to be,” he said. “It was just a tough (meet), with a lot of experienced teams. Our boys and girls are still learning the sport and also still learning how to compete.”

Clovis was slated to return to action on Tuesday in a quadrangular hosted by Amarillo High, also to include Tucumcari and Bushland. The Cats and Lady Cats are slated to participate in the Cleveland Conflict on Friday in Rio Rancho before hosting the first of two Saturday duals, facing Artesia this time in a 10 a.m. start at The Rock.