DENVER – The five first-time wrestlers form Bayfield, Durango and Ignacio High Schools each absorbed walking into the Pepsi Center in their own way.
Bayfield’s Jake Sandrey appeared happy to be there in his 113-pound opener against Mead’s Jeremy Ashton. He was tied 4-4 near the end of the first period but was pinned with nine seconds left in the period.
“I thought Jakey came out real timid. He was scared,” BHS head coach Todd McMenimen said. “Part of it was nerves from being here the first time as a freshman.”
The awe and nerves didn’t affect Bayfield heavyweight Sam Westbrook during his 8-3 win over Lucas Montgomery of Lamar. They got to him when he first entered the Pepsi Center, though.
“I was in a little bit of awe,” said Westbrook, son of Kristin and Mark Westbrook. “I had a lot of time to adjust to my surroundings and calm down.”
His match came at the end of the session, when Westbrook already had watched his three teammates compete and walk in the tunnels under the Pepsi Center all day.
Watching matches at the Pepsi Center had been second nature to Ignacio’s Iaasic Peña until this season. He missed state his first three years at IHS but watched his little brother, Lorenzo Peña, compete last year and his older brother, Alex Peña, win three state championships.
“It felt really good to be out there wrestling instead of watching,” said Peña, son of Kenneth and Shasta Peña. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”
Durango’s Cameron Jacobs walked in for the second session knowing he would have to wrestle in the opening match at 106 pounds in Class 4A.
“At first it was intimidating, but a lot of my seniors helped me calm down and get centered,” said Jacobs, son of Dean Jacobs and Deb Jackson. “At first I was kind of scared, anxious. The seniors helped me calm down.”
Greeley Central’s Zeke Alirez, the 106-pound bracket’s top overall seed, pinned him 51 seconds in.
Welcome to the state tournament.
“I really expected the best level of intensity,” Jacobs said. “I’m getting ready to do some damage on the back side of the bracket.”
Tristan Martinez, Durango’s other first-time qualifier, spent the full six minutes on the mat. He lost 8-2 to Victor Gutierrez of Pueblo East.
“I think they’re gaining some valuable experience here at state,” DHS head coach John Gurule said. “Now it’s time to put the losses aside and wrestle these next matches (Friday).”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
