Benched for much of Bayfield's run into the Class 3A Boys' Soccer State Tournament this fall by a foot/ankle injury, senior Cordell Ashcraft at last returned to action last Saturday as a 152-pound Wolverine wrestling at the Dove Creek "Dawg Fight."
One of five grapplers earning first- or second-place honors at the 10-school, 13-team meet, Ashcraft pinned three foes - including teammate Lane Grimwood, 40 seconds into the third period - but was in turn pinned twice, by 2A Ignacio's Dustin Sanchez (1:08 into the first period) and ultimately by 5A Farmington, New Mexico's Cirrail Allison (1:24, p1).
Still, when all was said and done, BHS had amassed 98.5 points to finish fourth, behind 4A Durango (99.5), Farmington (132.5) and 5A Kirtland Central (176), with 2A Del Norte (70.5) rounding out the top five.
At an event where teams could enter multiple individuals at the same weight, Bayfield head coach Roy Westbrook took advantage to get his crew, particularly those who did not compete in Camp Verde, Ariz., the previous weekend, as many matches as possible.
Grimwood unluckily finished 0-4 at 152, while Jason Schneider led three Wolverine 145-pounders with a 2-2 mark and fifth-place result. Colby Joosten went 1-2, as did newcomer Geron Goring.
BHS was also doubly represented at 195 pounds, where John Foutz followed a first-round 'bye' with a 1-3 mark and fourth-place finish after Kirtland's Ian Thomas pinned him with two seconds left in the first period. Right behind him in the division's final order was Paden Williamson, who finished a 2-2 (with one 'bye') day with a 67-second pin over KCHS JV entrant Melvin Tom.
Already shifting his senior season into high gear, 138-pounder Garrett Beebe posted a 5-0 mark to earn one of the Wolverines' two Dawg Fight titles. He improved to 14-0 after two busy weekends beginning the 2017-18 season. Beebe, ranked #4 in On The Mat's Class 3A listing going in, stuck four opponents flat and won the weight via a 9-7 points win over Kirtland's Jalen Platero (9-1 overall).
One of Beebe's pins unfortunately downed teammate Trey McKee, who'd just been tech-fallen 16-0 by Platero in his previous match as part of a 3-2, third-place effort. McKee's victories all came by second-period pin, however, with one stopping teammate Carter Baier, who finished 0-3.
Daniel Westbrook also went 5-for-5 in placing first at 220 pounds, improving him to 12-2 through two outstanding outings. Each enemy who stood in against the junior ended up hearing a referee's hand smack the mat, indicating he had been pinned - with none surviving more than 90 seconds.
Still working well above his normal wrestling weight, senior Jake Sandrey went 4-1 at 160, upping his record to 12-2, and lost only to KCHS' Isaac Thomas (10-0) via third-period pin. Sandrey recovered, though, and ended his day with a 6-5 win over Durango's Jordan Belt.
Making his winter's debut at the Fight, Colby Baker finished a 2-2 fourth at 126 pounds, three weights above where fans saw him competing in '16-17. Also up in weight for his second season, Shane Moore went 1-3 and took fourth at 170 pounds.
And arriving on the prep-level scene, young Dylan Pickering was a solid 4-1 second-placer for the Wolverines at 120 pounds. Pinned by 2A Dolores' Zander Eichner right off the bat, Pickering then defeated 3A Montezuma-Cortez JV member Austin Featherman by 15-0 technical fall, pinned Durango's Sebastion Garcia in 1:13, tech'd Farmington's Derrick Broughton 15-nil, and pinned FHS JV entrant Kurt Klipsch in just 33 ticks.
Bayfield will next travel to Farmington, N.M., on Saturday for Piedra Vista's Panther Classic.
