Matched up with the top seed in the bracket, Jacob Fenberg was in a tough situation to open the CHSAA Class 4A State Wrestling Tournament on Saturday at the Southwest Motors Events Center in Pueblo.
Loveland’s Kobi Johnson (15-0), who beat Mesa’s Frankie Gallegos (16-2) with a 14-5 major decision in the 113-pound state championship match, was able to pin Durango High’s Fenberg 51 seconds into the first period of their quarterfinal match Saturday morning.
Fenberg (13-10) dropped to the consolation bracket and went about against Frederick’s Alex Carrillo (22-3) in the first consolation round. Carrillo raced out to a 9-0 lead before Fenberg scored one escape point in the third period in a 9-1 major decision loss to end his tournament off the podium.
Carillo led 5-0 after one period with a takedown and a three-point nearfall. He scored two reversal points in the second period and opened the third with a takedown to build his lead. He later placed fourth after losing the third-place match to Pueblo County’s Isaiah Padilla (17-5).
Fenberg was the lone Durango High School wrestler to qualify for state in a year in which brackets were reduced from 16 down to eight to accommodate a single-day tournament format rather than the typical three-day format.
Cheyenne Mountain won the Class 4A team title with 123.5 points. Pueblo County was second with 102.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
