Friday Fun at the State Tournament!

Oh Yes!!!!! The Day we have been waiting for all year has finally arrived. Yesterday was the start of the 2009 State wrestlling tournament. Cami, Jacob and Lily flew in on Thursday to be here for the tournament and Hillary and Jake brought them up. Everyone was there, even Shiloh was represented (Sort of). Cami made a Proxy Dummy to represent Shiloh. Gideon and Lily played, the adults watched and cheered and mom tired not to panic. (Cody got the takedowns, but mom made the escape!) Wrestling started at 10:00 in the morning. Skye and Ryan had to miss his first match because of work and school, but they were there by 1:30 for the rest of the fun.

Cami made us a 'Shiloh' to cheer with the family! GO CODY!!!

It's amazing how Gideon and Lily are about the same size as Shiloh!

Pep talk at the start of the Tournament!

Taking on Shelby Talbot, a senior from Eagle High School.

Going for the Single leg.

Cody got the takedown!

Taking control and never letting up!

The winner by decision 6-4

Cody and Shiloh relaxing while our guys Jacob, Kelly, Ryan and Jake, watch another match!Jesse, Hillary, Jacob, Dad, Gideon, Lily, Cami and Ryan (and Shiloh, who is always happy here at the state tournament) waiting for the next round.

Starting the second match against Todd Anderson of Twin Falls.

Lily shows her support for Uncle Cody with her face paint while she plays between matches.

The Family watching!

Okay, I don't know who I am watching, but since everyone else is looking the other way I assume it isn't Cody. (I don't sit very well during his matches, I am generally running up and down the aisles. )

Cody gets a takedown.

Don't let him escape!

This almost gives me a heart attack! Cody caught in a headlock! He got out though!

Dominating again!

Cody beat Todd 12-8.

He snacked a little too much after his matches and weighed 1.4 pounds over, so he had to run a little and sweat off that pound and a half before he could weigh in for tomorrow.

Cody is now in the Semi-finals that start at 11:00 this morning. He is in the medal rounds, so we are excited that he will be getting a medal at state!

GO CODY!!!!!! WIN STATE!!!

Wrestling at Districts!

Friday was the District/Regional Tournament at Idaho Falls High School. It Started at noon and it was after 9:00 in the evening before we left. Cody's first opponant was from Highland High School. Cody was pretty dominate on the mat with him. He pinned him in the second period.

His second match was against Todd Anderson of Twin Falls. He beat Todd on February 4th.

It was a close match and very tough. Todd was ready for Cody this time.

Toward the end of the third period Cody got caught in a headlock and thrown. (Darn those Greco Wrestlers) Todd won the match by 4 points. Now Cody would wrestle for third place.

Cody took out his frustration on the Skyline varsity wrestler Brandon Ward.

He totally dominated the entire match....

He had a couple of good tilts ....

and was going for a pin when time ran out.

This win was a major decision for his team and earned him a trip to the State Tournament!

For some reason I do not have any pictures of Cody's last match which was a HEART ATTACK match! Cody wrestled Highland's James Esplin for third place. Cody beat Esplin on January 21st so Esplin was really gunning for Cody. Cody was having a little trouble breathing early in the match and had to use his inhaler. The match that went back and forth for the lead. Cody was down by two and tied it up with seconds to go. They went into overtime. The first one to score wins. By this time Cody's lips were dark blue from his lack of air. But he didn't take time to use his inhaler, he just gutted it out and got the first take down. He looked terrible when they raised his hand for the win. He shook hands with the Highland Coaches and then walked over to his coach and promptly collapsed on the floor. He was alright after about 4 or 5 minutes, but it sure scared me.

On a lighter note....... The girls and I were asked to sing the National Anthem before the finals.

This picture is of us just before we sang. It sounded beautiful if I do say so myself.

(And everyone else told me it was great, so I guess I can brag, Right?)

Not sure what the sour face is for. Maybe Skye didn't like the smell of stinky, sweaty high school wrestlers. :-)

Coach Clayson was pretty happy at the end of the tournament. Madison had 9 wrestlers qualify for State.

The 140 pound weight class.

LET'S GO TO STATE!

We will see you next weekend at...

IDAHO STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

FEBRUARY 27TH & 28TH

POCATELLO, IDAHO

You can watch Cody's district matches by going to http://www.eisnlive.com/

District 4,5 & 6 February 20th.

Video From South Freemont Dual

Wrestling Jackets, Senior Night and Valentine Fun!

Wednesday was Senior Night at Wrestling. Travis, Cali and Gideon came by to take me to the meet.We wore our new wrestling jackets made for us by Ryan's mom, Donna Lowry. All the wrestling mom's loved mine!
The seniors and their parents were recognized. Cali, Jesse, Skye and I sang the National Anthem before the varsity match.


The Cody "Crouching Crane" fan club was there!
(Yea, the little short red guy with the big muscles is supposed to be Cody)

And then we wrestled Skyline.
The young wrestler looks a little distresses.

Cody getting a reversal.

And "Threading the needle" to turn the guy for a pin.

It was a good match.

On Thursday our match against Idaho Falls was a lot tougher. I don't have many pictures because they use a big spotlight that only covers about a 15 ft. diameter area so it was really dark.

Jordon Cox of IF has been ranked #1 all season in 5A wrestling. Last week Cody was ranked #2. This was the first time they have ever met in a match. Cody lost 12-8 in the last few seconds. We will see Jordon again at districts!


Friday was our last regular season dual against South Freemont. Here are the Captains & Coach leaving the mat.
Funny Story..... When the coaches have their pre-meet meeting and set the roster the S. Freemont coach says : "....Okay, who are you going to put at 140 lbs."
Coach Clayson: "Darryl Cunningham"
S. Freemont: "Ah, c'mon coach, don't you have anyone else our boy could wrestle?"
Coach Clayson: "Nope, he's our only 140 tonight".
S. Freemont: "Ouch".

I guess his young wrestler wasn't looking forward to wrestling Cody.
He probably had a good reason. :-)
Cody got a tech fall in 2:14.

(I will post a video later today of the first part of his match.)


YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Saturday was the Valentines Dance at church. It was a little slow getting started, but we had a great time.

Darryl got me a very unique Valentines Present this year. New Salt shaker and Pepper mill. I know, you are thinking "That's not very romantic!" But he thought of me and what I really wanted, that makes it romantic to me! (Every time I see them on the table I will think of Darryl and Valentines, and hey, it's not fattening and won't die in a week! :-)

My Old Friend - Two Socks

"Walk With An Old Dog"
by Gayl Jokiel

Because you will not be forever, Hope against time though I may, I paint your picture in my memory, Eyes blue with age, muzzle gone gray.

Because you walked with me in Springtime, Puppy-clumsy, running free. As you grew, we grew together- You became a part of me.

Because you shared with me my sorrows, Not understanding- simply there. Often spurring me to laughter-- My friend, you know how much I care.

Because the years have slowed your fleetness, Though your spirit still is strong. I promise I will take more time now, So that you can go along.


Because you do not fear the future, Living only in the now, I draw strength from your example- Yet time keeps slipping by somehow.

Because the day will soon be coming When I will no longer see You rise to greet me-but in memory You will always walk with me.


In dog years my sweet Two Socks is between 90 and 100 years old. My dad gave this little stray puppy to us in the summer of 1995. Cody named him Two-Socks because of his two white feet and he and Cody became "brothers" as they ran the woods together in Indiana. What a fun companion he has been for us. He lives in the house now during the winter because of his arthritis. He is blind in one eye and almost completely deaf. We have turned the entry hall into his room. He needs a bath but the weather is so cold I don't know if his old heart could take the shock. So, when you come to visit and the entry hall smells like an old dog please understand. Come summer time he will move back outside, but for now this is the least we can do for our dear old friend.

A "Sign" of Support!

.... So, when Cody finished his his wrestling match last Wednesday against Twin Falls he looked up in the stands and there were several friends and members of the Spirit Club jumping up and down and cheering while holding this sign for him! In case you can't read the smaller writing it says: Darryl "Crouching Crane" Cunningham. Ahhh..... High school fun!