Sore heads rooting from Dove Creek gymnasium's bleachers against him last Saturday couldn't stop Iaasic Peña, nor sway the Ignacio senior from his defense-rooted scheme against Norwood's Danny Harris.
Patient and always looking to keep the Maverick from getting too close, Peña ultimately pushed Harris into an unexpected overtime in the final round of the Dove Creek "Dawg Fight," seeking the 152-pound division's title. Peña got it, 4 to 2, when Harris was taken to the mat early in the extra period.
With numerous blue-clad voices loudly disapproving, Peña was also later named the event's outstanding upper weight wrestler, though IHS' 127.5 points ultimately finished behind NHS' 139.5 in the 12-team standings.
The lower weight outstanding wrestler distinction went to Walsenburg John Mall's Jonathan Andreatta, and not totally for winning the title at 113 pounds, but for whom he beat to earn it: Ignacio's Stocker Robbins.
In the now-sophomores' first meeting since last season's Class 2A State Championship at 106, the battle was what anyone would have expected between the classification's top-ranked pair. The Panther narrowly nipped the Bobcat, 5-3 after the full six minutes. The two later exchanged a fitting see-you-down-the-road handshake during the medal presentation.
IHS' Lorenzo Peña provided his older brother with adequate inspiration in winning the tourney's title at 145 pounds, via a pin of Norwood's Aiden Dabel 33 seconds into the second period.
When the teams' point totals were later announced, Cody Haga's squad realized how close they were to repeating as 'Dawg Fight' champions. Had fortune favored Tyler Beebe, Ethan Appenzeller and Alex Lopez, Ignacio certainly would have done so.
Beebe ran into a buzzsaw in the 132-pound finale, as DCHS' Case Baughman racked up point upon point in a 17-1 technical fall, achieved 1:08 into the third period. Appenzeller stood in next against Bulldog Chance Randolph at 138, but ended up stuck underneath him 51 ticks into the second.
Lopez was unable to find much against 5A Farmington's Damian Shorthair, losing 6-1 and finishing third. The 170's competed round-robin-style, and IHS' Davey Cooper finished second behind 2A Del Norte's Jake Jolly, despite pinning 2A Dolores' Kellen Gatzke at 1:50 of the second period in his last match.
Bobcats Timmy Plehinger, Mike Perez and Dalton Mickey did not place.
Up next, Ignacio will travel south to Farmington to take part in tomorrow's Piedra Vista Panther Duals.
'DAWG FIGHT' CHAMPIONS: 106-Garrett Beebe, Bayfield; 113-Jonathan Andreatta, Walsenburg John Mall; 120-Dustin Beltran, Dolores; 126-Talon Harris, Norwood; 132-Case Baughman, Dove Creek; 138-Chance Randolph, Dove Creek; 145-Lorenzo Peña, Ignacio; 152-Iaasic Peña, Ignacio; 160-Tim Armintrout, Norwood; 170-Jake Jolly, Del Norte; 182-Zane Barber, Walsenburg John Mall; 195-Jason Murphy, Walsenburg John Mall; 220-Ethan Barnes, Norwood; HWT-Damian Shorthair, Farmington (NM).
