CORTEZ – With plenty of learning opportunities for his young wrestling squad, Ignacio High School wrestling head coach Jordan Larsen saw a number of his athletes make noticeable improvements. The Bobcats drew level with the tri-meet hosts, Montezuma-Cortez, 30-30 before they fell to Dove Creek, 27-24.
The third match featured a combined M-CHS and Dolores squad topping Dove Creek, 36-18.
Opening its morning against a senior-laden M-CHS squad, Ignacio prepped for an early test. However, with a limited number of weight classes where both squads fielded a competitor, the match only pitted three competitions on the mat.
At the 106-pound level, Bobcat Cayle McCoy faced M-CHS senior Kael Buffington, with the Panther able to impose himself early. Buffington tallied a takedown before finishing off the pin in just over a minute. Buffington would later take on Devante Montoya in an exhibition match – Montoya wrestles at 113 – with the Panther again coming out on top to complete a perfect morning.
Ignacio responded with a pair of hard-fought wins – the first of which belonged to returning state qualifier Keaton McCoy. After debuting as a freshman at 126, McCoy entered Saturday’s dual against Wes Atcitty in the 138 classification.
The sophomore took Atcitty down with a sharp early move, then continued to battle for better position before finally taking the pin at 1:33.
Meanwhile, the lone match of the day to be competed above the 138 class came in the heavyweight division. Ignacio’s Jeremy Roderick faced Joe Summers of Dolores in one of the most competitive matches of the day.
The duo grappled through an evenly-matched first period, with neither establishing clear control. After an escape from Roderick to start the second frame, the junior took down Summers to consolidate his lead. The Bear grappler responded with an escape of his own to close the gap to 3-1 with the clock ticking midway through the period.
Then, Roderick made a decisive move, overpowering Summers to the mat and collecting the pin moments later.
Among the day’s highlights, Larsen pointed to the energy that Roderick brought to his clash.
“He’s turned a big corner over the past year,” lauded Larsen. “He’s undefeated so far this year and looks to be improving every day.”
Roderick concurred that he has seen improvement in his skills and confidence,
“I used to be intimidated to be out there,” said the junior, “but I pushed through it, and it’s helped me to be able to win consistently.”
After some early back-and-forth exchanges in a tight first period, Roderick took an advantage after he and Summers went out-of-bounds.
“I recognized I was getting tired,” said Roderick, “so I knew I needed to get this done.”
The final match of the day pitted the Bobcats against the Bulldogs, and the festivities kicked off in fine fashion at the 138 weight division. A pair of victors from earlier in the day, Keaton McCoy and Tyson Beanland, both brought an early energy to the match.
Beanland posted the first takedown, but McCoy worked his way out of trouble with an escape. The Bulldog’s persistence paid off with another two-pointer on the takedown, but again McCoy had an answer, this time with a reversal. With this change in fortune, McCoy refused to concede momentum. The sophomore Bobcat forced Beanland onto his back, and from there he finished the pin late in the opening period.
“Keaton has been looking really tough,” said Larsen. “He’s been cutting out some of the little mistakes this year.”
The Bulldogs turned the match around moments later, as Cole Taber topped Ignacio’s Cael McCoy at 106 via pin. Then, Dove Creek’s Jaydon Bailey and Ignacio’s Devonte Montoya had both team benches on the edge of their seats. The duo put together a scoring fest with numerous reversals and momentum swings. In the end, Bailey produced the final push to outlast Montoya, 16-14, to an ovation from both squads.
Ignacio also paired their two girl wrestlers, Faye Hackett and Lexy Young, against one another in an exhibition match. Young took an early lead before Hackett rallied in the third period to close the deficit. However, time ran out on Hackett, as Young held on for the decision, 10-9.
“They both looked tough today,” said Larsen of his girl wrestlers. “And while I don’t know what to expect at the regionals, they’ve both stuck with it and have been working hard.”
After two seasons as a pilot sport, girls wrestling will have its first official year with a CHSAA state championship in 2021. Four girls will qualify in each weight classification from each of the two regions, with the eight individual qualifiers meeting at the Southwest Motors Events Center in Pueblo on March 13.
Of his team’s focus, Larsen hopes that, even in a shortened season, his student-athletes will make continued progress.
“We know it’ll be tough to qualify for state given the limited field,” reflected Larsen. “We’re just excited to get some more wrestling and improve every day.”
The day’s matches kicked off with several showdowns at the lighter weight classifications between a combined Montezuma-Cortez/Dolores squad and Dove Creek.
Buffington took on Bulldog standout Cole Taber in the 106 showdown, with Buffington taking an early advantage. With time winding down in the opening period, the Panther captured the upper hand and the victory, pinning Taber at 1:36.
After Dove Creek’s Jayden Bailey and Gage Bailey posted forfeit wins at 113 and 120, respectively, the Panthers sent junior Jayven Valdez to the mat to take on Dove Creek’s Quaden Huffaker in the 126 classification.
At 132, Austin Featherman, one of the two returning Panthers with state tournament experience, faced off against Caden Baker of the Bulldogs. Featherman took an aggressive approach to Baker with an early takedown, before pinning the Bulldog moments later at 1:44.
Dove Creek responded with their first victory of the day in a competed match, as Tyson Beanland turned in a reversal against Panther senior Wes Atcitty, and consolidated his advantage with a pin late in the first period.
