Set to wrestle head-to-head against his former team this week, Dolores Bear-turned-Ignacio Bobcat Skieler Grooms built himself up some needed momentum with four wins in five matches at last Saturday's Dove Creek 'Dawg Fight' (at which DHS was also present).
One of just three 'Cats able to make the trip, Grooms' lone loss came in the tournament's first round, when he was pinned by 5A Farmington's Zack Small 1 minute, 1 second into the second period.
Grooms then rapidly reversed his fortune by pinning 3A Montezuma-Cortez JV wrestler Casen Allmon (in 1:49 elapsed), and 3A Bayfield's Colby Joosten (in 2:48) and Jason Schneider (in 5:59) before winning a 10-0 major decision over 2A Del Norte's Anthony Balderas to finish his day in fourth place at 145 pounds.
Dealing Del Norte's Keegan Medina an 8-0 MD defeat, IHS' Dustin Sanchez also completed a 4-1 performance with a team-best third place at 152-helping Ignacio finish ninth place in the team standings. Starting with an 11-2 major over BHS' Lane Grimwood, Sanchez then re-composed himself after a 5-0 loss to DCHS' Derek Kibel to pin BHS' Cordell Ashcraft and M-CHS JV member Thorin Howell to prepare for Medina.
Finally, Micah Westbrook debuted for Ignacio and went 0-5 at 160 pounds.
The Bobcats will next see action Saturday, Dec. 16, in Farmington at Piedra Vista's Panther Classic and Thursday's home triangular versus Dolores and Del Norte.
