Coach Jordan Larsen had to be most pleased by the fact that with only six entrants, Ignacio Wrestling still managed to place sixth at the Feb. 12-13 Class 2A-Region I championships at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction.
Three of his Bobcats qualified individually for the 2016 CHSAA State Championships (Feb. 18-20) in Denver, after there was a possibility that at least five might make it to Pepsi Center.
First-year junior Mark Kempinski II was the only grappler guaranteed not to go, after an unfortunate Day 1 injury-default loss only nine seconds into his first consolation-bracket match with Rangely senior Kiki Ruiz at 170 pounds. After being planted on his head and reportedly feeling effects down into his mid-torso, Kempinski appeared OK on Day 2 and was inside Brownson Arena supporting his teammates.
Junior Dalton Mickey went 1-2 at 145 but was stopped short of the placing round via a 5-4 loss to Norwood-Nucla's William Gabriel. Gabriel won against Mickey at the previous Thursday's San Juan Basin League Duals held inside IHS Gymnasium.
After a first-round bye, junior Timmy Plehinger was an unlucky casualy of a five-match rule. He pinned Paonia's Anthony Felice (in an elapsed 4:57) on the consolation side and improved to 2-3 for the tournament.
Though Plehinger did take fifth place at 152 pounds, and though it certainly felt good to have taken revenge upon the Eagle freshman-who'd defeated him 14-9 after his own free pass into the quarterfinals-seeing RHS' Nych DeLeon awarded fourth (and the Mile High City trip) without sweating was an undesired outcome.
Plehinger finished the season with a 26-13 record. Mickey ended up 20-12 and Kempinski 6-12.
Now the good news: senior Tyler Beebe and juniors Ethan Appenzeller and Lorenzo Peña are moving on, after having placed second, first and third, at their respective weights.
At 132 pounds, Beebe (33-10 prior to State) went 3-1 including a quality pin of Hotchkiss' Colton DeLuzio 52 seconds into the third period in the semifinals. And though Dove Creek's Case Baughman again managed to lead him on the scoreboard after six first-place minutes, Beebe's 4-0 loss to the Bulldog-who'd topped him 8-4 at the SJBL's-again indicated a closing of the gap between the two.
Victimized by Norwood-Nucla's Trenton Armintrout 4-nil at the SJBL's, Peña met his circuit rival in G.J. and was unfortunately pinned with six seconds left in the second period. But bent on still another possible pairing inside Pepsi Center, Peña rebounded to finish his Region I run with three wins in four tries at 160. His last effort produced a 13-3 major-decision domination-and his 40th win this winter against only four losses-of Meeker's Chase Rule.
Finally, N-N's Aidan Dabal managed to go the distance with IHS' Ethan Appenzeller after losing 9-2 in Ignacio, but again settled for second place after the Bobcat junior (34-1) prevailed 4-3 and completed a 3-0 march through the 138-pound division's bracket after a first-round bye.
One victory came via forfeit over PHS' Clay Campbell in the semis, after Andy Pipher elected to get his man some additional rest time after sustaining some Day 1 damage. Campbell then somehow managed to wrestle well enough in the consolation rounds and eventually was a by-rule, Denver-bound fourth-placer.
The 'Cats had been ranked #9 in the final On The Mat team poll before the event, and were joined at it by fellow top-tens Meeker (#2), Hotchkiss (#6) and Paonia (#7) to make for one of the state's toughest regionals.
2A-REGION I TEAM STANDINGS: 1.Hotchkiss 226, 2.Paonia 216.5, 3.Meeker 205, 4.Norwood-Nucla 189, 5.Cedaredge 149, 6.IGNACIO 83, 7.Hayden 82, 8.Dolores 66, 9.Mancos 55, 10.Oak Creek Soroco 47, 11.Dove Creek 31, 12.Rangely 30, 13.Kremmling West Grand 28, 14.Walden North Park 16.
2A-REGION I CHAMPIONS: 106-Sergio Campos (Hotchkiss); 113-Brandon Ward (Dolores); 120-Sheridan Harvey (Meeker); 126-Sackett Chesnik (Paonia); 132-Case Baughman (Dove Creek); 138-ETHAN APPENZELLER (IGNACIO); 145-Bo Pipher (Paonia); 152-Hayden Harris (Norwood-Nucla); 160-Trenton Armintrout (Norwood-Nucla); 170-T.J. Shelton (Meeker); 182-Devon Pontine (Meeker); 195-Trevor Smith (Paonia); 220-Ethan Barnes (Norwood-Nucla); Hwt-Tyler Ilgen (Meeker).
