They Made It

Hocker and Daniel recap The Bracket Project, looking back at both the boys’ and girls’ brackets and giving their opinions on everything that went down along the way.They break down the biggest surprises, toughest matchups, controversial decisions, questionable seeds, Cinderella runs, and the wrestlers whose résumés stood out the most.After weeks of debating some of the greatest high school wrestling résumés Nevada has ever produced, Hocker and Daniel reflect on what they got right, what they might change, and what the entire project taught them about the history of Nevada wrestling.

Montana-born wrestling phenom Valyen Rauser, now living in Las Vegas, joins The Caution Stalling Podcast to tell the story of his journey—and what it was like growing up as one half of the Rauser twins.Val takes us back to his start in wrestling, joking that once he realized he was too small for the NFL, wrestling gave him a chance to beat people up besides his twin brother. After dominating in Montana, a trip to Tulsa introduced him to national competition. He got whooped, had to watch from the sidelines, and made a decision: next time, he'd be the one still wrestling.Val and his twin Jade traveled everywhere searching for better competition, camps, and training partners. That dedication eventually led to college recruitment and an unforgettable visit to Utah Valley—a school Val didn't even know existed before the trip. By the end of it, both brothers committed in the hotel lobby.Val also opens up about the difficult decision to walk away from wrestling and choose his health. After surgery finally allowed him to feel healthy and functional again, he realized that feeling wasn't something he was willing to gamble away.From Montana to the national stage, the Rauser twins, Utah Valley, and ultimately knowing when to walk away—this is Valyen Rauser's story.

Another Saldate joins the Caution Stalling Podcast! This time, Alyssa Saldate steps into the spotlight and continues making a name for herself.After receiving a ton of support in our Dark Horse poll, Alyssa joins us to talk about her journey so far. Still young in her career, she becomes our youngest high school journeyman to join the podcast — and spoiler alert: she’ll be back to cap off her high school career!Alyssa takes us through her Dark Horse run and breaks down the growth she’s experienced from her youth wrestling days to the wrestler she is today. She discusses some of the critical adjustments she’s made along the way and, of course, what comes with carrying the Saldate name in Nevada wrestling.But how did it all start? Alyssa tells us what finally got her onto the mat. With people in the wrestling community constantly asking when she was going to wrestle, Alyssa became determined to show everyone just how good she could be. Before long, she was the one bugging her parents, asking when she could finally get started.Now, the rest is history — and Alyssa Saldate’s story is only getting started. Tune in!

Jenavi Alejandro, one of Nevada’s very best ever, joins the Caution Stalling Podcast!We all see the accomplishments, but this episode goes beyond the accolades as Jenavi takes us through the journey that made her one of the best wrestlers the Battle Born State has produced. She talks about the training environment that helped shape her, having the perfect training partner in her own sister, and the experiences that prepared her for the next level.Jenavi takes us through her decision to attend Tiffin University and the road that eventually led her to becoming a National Finalist. She also opens up about coming up short in the finals, how she processed the loss, and why she was still able to walk away proud of what she accomplished. Her perspective on handling both success and disappointment is something every young athlete can learn from.Finally, Jenavi talks about what comes next. She discusses entering the transfer portal, the conversations and opportunities that followed, and ultimately where she decided to spend the final chapter of her college wrestling career.From Nevada standout to National Finalist, Jenavi Alejandro’s journey is far from finished. Tune in and hear her story!

Billie Bonwell, one of Nevada's first 4-time State Champions, joins The Caution Stalling Podcast today.Billie brings one of the most unique stories in Nevada wrestling. While many see an aggressive competitor on the mat, Billie simply loves to compete. Often quiet and reserved, she opens up on the podcast and gives listeners a look at the person behind the wrestler—proving there's much more to her than meets the eye.Billie's journey didn't begin in wrestling. She started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and initially had no interest in joining the wrestling circuit. Over time, though, that mindset changed. She credits her freshman-year state championship run with helping her realize she had the potential to become much more than just another good wrestler.Throughout high school, Billie faced several eye-opening moments that shaped her career. Rather than letting setbacks define her, she used every challenge as fuel, learning what it meant to be the hunted instead of the hunter. Every loss became motivation to chase her next goal: wrestling in college.That journey wasn't without adversity. Being hundreds of miles away from her support system tested her mentally and emotionally, but Billie persevered through it all.In the end, she accomplished the ultimate goal—becoming a National Champion at the collegiate level.Don't miss this conversation with one of Nevada wrestling's all-time greats.

Daniel and Hocker come together to discuss the brackets! Also, the girls have a surprise addition to match the boys!

The 32 men and women wrestlers for the brackets have been released. Daniel and Zach reveal the wrestlers who made it and shoutout some of those who just missed out.Next, the seed reveals!

Sabino, a catcher from the Las Vegas valley who was in need of a fresh start, switched schools to strengthen his vision for his dream. In hindsight, the decision became the blessing he needed and now, Sabino is a collegiate catcher!Sabino, a young man who trained baseball with his uncle tirelessly, did even know there was a world passed the foul lines in baseball. Baseball was all he knew, it was all he did! Training to be like his cousin, was the normal for young Sabino. Some may remember the frequent visits to the ice cream truck that circled the park, some may even recall Sabino's love for snack time...depends on who you ask but one thing was for certain, between the lines Sabino found purpose.In high school Sabino was struggling on the student side his freshman year. That led to not many times between the lines. His sophomore year showed a different face, a switch of scenery. While Sabino opted to transfer, he made sure he did it with purpose, switching to a magnet school to be apart of a magnet program. While attending Eldorado, Sabino found his stride both in the classroom and on the field. Sabino became a 2x All Conference Catcher, 2x All State Catcher and recreated his GPA to graduate with over a 3.0. While his on the field feats are impressive, the GPA rebuild was his most impressive accomplishment. Bino, a young man who needed a second chance, cashed it in when he got it! How does the saying go? Sometimes all we need is a second chance. Sabino understood what was on the line and decided he would live the way collegiate athletes live.And we got a LIVE Commitment!!!!

Adrian begins Season 3 'Black and White' for the Caution Stalling Podcast. As a college commit to CIU, Adrian brings his story of playing at a non baseball high school in Las Vegas to the podcast. Daniel and Adrian both relate by coming from North Las Vegas schools known for other sports than baseball. Adrian, a hyper young man who shows a ton of character on the field, discusses the fun and joy he gets from those interactions. Sometimes, he is misunderstood and he just is very competitive. Adrian is extremely outgoing and has made many friends in baseball. He even takes it as a compliment when players from strong schools recognize him although he plays at lesser baseball talented high school.Adrian also dives into his college commitment. Adrian discussed some of the opportunities he had and what ultimately made him choose CIU. He discusses how his process went and educates Daniel and the podcast for any of those that may have similar opportunities. Adrian is excited to be a two-way player but he knows, pitching has his heart!

Abe “The Hammer” Coronado joins the Caution Stalling Podcast, giving the show an opportunity to show some much-deserved love to Northern Nevada. With most previous guests coming from Southern Nevada, there was no better person to help bridge that gap than one of Northern Nevada’s brightest wrestling stars.Abe is a young man who moves with purpose. He enjoys solving puzzles, thinking through challenges, and playing strategy-based games—traits that have become a major part of his success on the wrestling mat. Every great wrestler has something that separates them from the pack, and for Abe, it’s his ability to think ahead and approach competition like a mental chess match. He is a true strategist whose wrestling IQ is just as dangerous as his physical skills.During the conversation, Daniel and Abe dive into the ever-popular pound-for-pound debate. Abe has no problem making the case for himself as the best, and honestly, what elite competitor wouldn't? The discussion also takes an interesting turn when Abe shares his plans for life after wrestling. While many athletes dream of continuing to compete beyond college, Abe reveals that once his collegiate career is over, he's finished with the sport. It's a unique and refreshing perspective that offers insight into how he views wrestling, competition, and the next chapter of his life.