Matthew Lavengood needed a minute to step back and reflect on his last home match as a Durango High School wrestler.
He had just earned a pin victory against Montrose’s Gus Reed to complete a perfect 5-0 day at the Southwestern League Championships in Durango, and his teammate Hunter Hall followed with a pin victory of his own to give the Demons a 39-36 victory against the Indians. Quite a way for two seniors to finish up their home wrestling careers.
“I haven’t really thought about it, but it sure is nice to go out with a pin,” said Lavengood, son of Steve and Tamra Lavengood. “My last time ever wrestling on these mats, it’s really nice, especially with the team being better this year.”
Hall admitted he had no idea a pin, technical fall or a major decision win against Montrose’s Jeff Dick would give his team a big dual victory, but he gave the Demons the perfect sendoff before going to the regional tournament next weekend.
“I had no idea that I did that. Coach (John Gurule) told me after the match that I had won it for us,” said Hall, son of Laura and Randy Hall. “It’s cool, a fun feeling. It’s fun to be clutch.”
The win against Montrose gave the Demons a 2-3 record at the league championship duals Saturday. The Demons finished fourth out six teams, with Grand Junction taking the team championship with a perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers are the third-ranked team in all of Class 5A.
Seven Grand Junction Tigers won individual championships, but this weekend was all about the team result for the Tigers.
“We expected to win when we came this weekend,” Grand Junction head coach Cole Allison said. “Most of our guys wrestled the way we thought they should. We came close to our goals this weekend as individuals, but this is only a championship for the team aspect. Next weekend, it’s about individuals finishing in the top four and figuring out who is going to state.”
Fruita Monument took second place with a 4-1 record after losing 54-24 to Grand Junction. The Wildcats placed Daniel Van Hoose (126), nationally ranked Jacob Seely (195) and heavyweight Clayton Voytilla as league champions. Voytilla nearly missed a chance at a perfect day. Down 7-2 with under 10 seconds to go, Voytilla was able to take down Grand Junction Central’s Jordan Horsley and secure a pin to secure the league title.
Grand Junction Central took third with a 3-2 record. The Warriors also had two individual champions: Kyle Martinez at 132 pounds and Soloman Jurman at 170 pounds. Jurman won a three-way tiebreaker to be named the champ.
The Demons were thrilled with their fourth-place finish, an improvement from last year’s fifth-place result. The late win against Montrose was a big win in the eyes of the Demons.
“Coming away with wins over Cortez and Montrose, that is a step up from our league results last year,” DHS head coach John Gurule said. “We’re excited about the direction the program is heading with the improvement.”
Durango’s Patrick Cunnion had a tough day in a loaded 182-pound field. He lost via technical fall to Montezuma-Cortez’s Seager Oliver, a defending 4A state champion who will wrestle in 3A at state this season. Oliver had handed Cunnion his only other loss of the season earlier this year, and Cunnion, top-ranked at 182 in Class 4A lost twice Saturday.
Oliver finished as the 182-pound league champion, a bright spot for the Panthers, who went 0-5 as a team Saturday.
“It was awesome not letting Patrick score a point on me,” Oliver said. “The other guys, too. It’s nice to come in here and clean house.”
Gurule said he is confident Cunnion, a state placer from a year ago, will bounce back in a big way against 4A competition at the regional tournament in Golden next weekend.
“One thing is he learns from his mistakes and always comes out stronger,” Gurule said.
Montrose came in fifth with a 1-4 record and did not have an individual champion.
DHS and Montrose both will head to Golden next weekend to compete in the Class 4A West Metro region along with No. 4 Pueblo South, No. 5 Discovery Canyon, Battle Mountain, Conifer, Evergreen, Glenwood Springs, Golden, Green Mountain, Littleton, Palisade and Standley Lake.
The top four individuals in each weight class will qualify for the state tournament a week later at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
“We’re feeling good, and we want to keep it rolling,” Lavengood said. “Eight more matches, and then we see who gets to go to state.”
“We’re rolling into regionals with a lot of confidence,” Hall added.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
All-Southwestern League Wrestling
106: Dylan Martinez, Grand Junction
113: Tyren Castonguay, Grand Junction
120: Matthew Lavengood, Durango
126: Daniel Van Hoose, Fruita Monument
132: Kyle Martinez, Grand Junction Central
138: Isaac Rider, Grand Junction
145: Josiah Rider, Grand Junction
152: Seth Latham, Grand Junction
160: Jacob Trujillo, Grand Junction
170: *Soloman Jarman, Grand Junction Central
182: Seager Oliver, Montezuma-Cortez
195: Jacob Seely, Fruita Monument
220: Tyler Zook, Grand Junction
285: Clayton Voytilla, Fruita Monument
*There was a three-way tie for the 170-pound champion, with Jarman winning via tiebreaker.
