The Bayfield High School wrestling team enjoyed a strong weekend of action in Pueblo with four Wolverines going undefeated at a quad-meet hosted by Pueblo Centennial.
BHS earned a tough 33-32 win against the host Bulldogs. That came in the middle of a 48-33 loss to Heritage and a 48-28 defeat to Coronado, a pair of Class 5A opponents.
“We wrestled really well, and I was proud of our effort that everyone put out,” BHS head coach Todd McMenimen said. “If you take away the points we gave in forfeits – 30 points to Coronado and 18 to Heritage – we outwrestled them in the matches contested all day.”
Keaton Pickering (106 pounds), Dylan Pickering (145), James Mars (132) and Avery Mitzlaff (113) all went 3-0 on the day. Kobe Prior (160) went 2-1, as did heavyweight Jordan Sands..
“Mars really looked solid all day,” McMenimen said. “And Avery had a big turnaround last week at Dove Creek. He was full of confidence that I hadn’t seen him carry over in previous matches. It was his best weekend.”
McMenimen was impressed by Sands, who had a first-period pin of Coronado’s Tanner Pearson and a first-period pin of Pueblo Centennial’s Keegan Avalos before he was pinned 27 seconds into the first period by Heritage’s Moises Islas, the second-ranked Class 5A heavyweight in the state.
“Jordan doesn’t have much experience, but he is going to be impressive,” McMenimen said. “He overpowered the two guys he beat, and then he got picked up and rag-dolled by the Heritage kid. Give him two years, and he is going to manhandle all of his opponents that same way.”
Bayfield and Ignacio will be in action Saturday at a tri-meet hosted by Montezuma-Cortez.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
