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Preparing for state

BHS wrestles on first of 3 consecutive days

The strength of Pagosa Springs’ wrestling lineup focused on an area where Bayfield High School lacks experience.

That and a three-wrestler disadvantage led to a 52-25 Pirates’ win Thursday in Pagosa Springs.

BHS gave up three forfeits for 18 points out of the gate.

In terms of the Pirates’ strength, it’s concentrated between 160 and 170 pounds, where BHS trotted out first-year wrestlers Austin Bachmann and Marquis Mashak.

“Our real green kids matched up against the strength of their lineup,” BHS head coach Todd McMenimen said.

The Wolverines did receive a boost with the return of state qualififer Ryan Nava at 126 pounds.

He wrestled his first match of the season at 126 pounds with only a few weeks until the regional tournament.

“He had an opportunity to pin the kid in the first period, but it was better to see him have to continue to wrestle beyond that,” McMeninmen said. “He had to wrestle six minutes, which was what he needs to prepare himself for the regional tournament.”

Cash Snooks also impressed his coaching staff by beating Chance McReynolds, who dominated Snooks previously at the Rocky Mountain Invitational in Pagosa Springs.

“That carried over the first 45 seconds of the match where Chaz was really taking it to Cash,” McMenimen said. “Then Cash woke up and decided, ‘I can wrestle with this kid.’”

Sam Westbrook pinned Pagosa Springs’ Alonso Hernandez at heavyweight.

Hernandez wrestled up from 195 pounds to face Westbrook.

Colter McMenimen beat Taylor Cowen at 145 pounds.

The 113- and 120-pound matches for Jake Sandrey and Cody Speece were losses that coach McMenimen felt should have been wins.

“We didn’t wrestle bad,” he said. “We lost a couple close ones we should have won.”

BHS hits the mat again quickly, facing Ignacio and Rangely in a dual at 6 p.m. Friday in Ignacio before Saturday’s Butch Melton Invitational.

“We’re looking at this as a great preparation for state because it’s exactly that,” coach McMenimen said. “This is really a great preparation for the kids to understand the weight management and the mental preparation of going into the state tournament.”

kgrabowski@durangoherald.com

Jan 29, 2015
Find ’em on the mat


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