Rerouted away from Lake Powell country last weekend due to weather, Bayfield Wrestling proved how ready it was for the canceled Sand Devil Classic in Page, Arizona, with a strong showing at its backup choice.
The Wolverines travelled to Paonia's Screaming Eagle Invitational instead.
Presented with the Sand Devils' Class Act Award last January, the Wolverines carried themselves well at one of the Western Slope's preeminent regular-season tournaments. Three individual champions-senior Ryan Nava at 145 pounds, junior Garrett Beebe at 126 and senior Sam Westbrook at heavyweight-piled up 145 points to place sixth out of 20 teams attending.
Westbrook (28-0) remained undefeated this season by defeating Meeker's Tyler Ilgen 5-3 in an overtime championship to complete a 4-for-4 day. Also with four victories, Beebe (20-4) ultimately handled Ilgen teammate Tannen Kennedy 11-3. Nava - now 23-0 after winning five matches - edged Palisade's Austin Bernal 4-3.
Junior 132-pounder Jake Sandrey (28-5) lost only to Hall in going 3-1 last Saturday, and Bayfield also had two individuals place fifth, seniors Macoy Michaeli (28-6; 3-2 at 170) and Cody Speece (26-11; 4-2 at 120).
Already set to attend the Screaming Eagle, Ignacio (73 points) placed eighth at the spectacle. The Bobcats were led by a 4-0 performance, capped with a victory over Wade Katzdorn of Hotchkiss, at 160 by senior Lorenzo Peña (27-3). Losing only in the semifinals, senior Ethan Appenzeller (29-3) was a 4-1 third-placer at 145.
Appenzeller had been ranked #2 in 2A at his weight, as was Peña. Appenzeller was ranked behind only the man who denied him a state championship last season, Peyton's Britton Holmes, whose team was not at the meet. Peña, a former #1 this winter, stuck the individual billed above him at the time in only 80 seconds.
Nava checked in at No. 3 amongst Class 3A's 145s prior to hitting Paonia, while Westbrook remained #2 amongst the heavies.
Class 2A's third-ranked Hotchkiss Bulldogs earned the Screaming Eagle title with 202.5, and 2A's #2 Meeker Cowboys followed with 187. Number five in 2A, the hosting Eagles took third with 184, with 2A Cedaredge (182.5) and 4A Palisade (154) rounding out the top five.
Rivaling IHS in the 2A San Juan Basin League, Norwood-Nucla placed seventh at the SEI with 118 points and Mancos ended up ninth with 64, while 2A Hayden (63.5) rounded out the standings' top ten.
Up next for the Bobcats will be a non-league dual at 6 p.m. Friday versus the Wolverines at IHS. Both squads will be in the mix at Ignacio's Butch Melton Invitational Saturday (9 a.m. start). Bayfield also is set to wrestle Alamosa in a duel on Thursday.
MAKING QUICK WORK: Before defaulting from the tournament due to injury, Ignacio senior Stocker Robbins scored one of the Screaming Eagle's fastest finishes with a pin of 4A Montrose JV entrant Jack Yarnell in only 17 seconds. Robbins finished 2-2 at 132 after conceding victory to Hayden's Jake Planansky.
