Bringing just five individuals to Pagosa Springs Saturday, Jan. 8, Ignacio Wrestling found it difficult to crack the top-ten at PSHS’ 2022 Rocky Mountain Invitational.
Overall, the Bobcats totaled 19 points and placed 14th, one point more than 3A Montezuma-Cortez, while 2A Centauri (186 points) returned to La Jara with the team title in tow … but by only three points over runners-up 4A Bloomfield, N.M. The meet-hosting 3A Pirates (145.5) finished third, followed by 2A San Juan Basin League force Mancos (142.5) and 2A Center (130.5).
Senior heavyweight Jeremy Roderick compiled a 2-1 tournament record and placed third in his division, via a 1-minute, 23-second pin of 3A Bayfield sophomore Jordan Cundiff following a semifinals loss to 4A Taos, N.M., senior Lucas Fillis.
In an 11-man 145-pound division, IHS junior Keaton McCoy went 1-2 and placed just seventh, via pinning 1A Monticello, Utah, senior Cameron Bailey with eight seconds left in the opening two-minute period. Freshman Kendrick Nossaman went 0-2 at 152, losing by pin to both 4A Durango junior Dale Harris and Center freshman Andre Meraz.
Making his varsity debut, freshman 132-pounder Asher Gallegos also went 0-2, losing by 19-3 technical fall to PSHS freshman Griffin Bower and then by pin 40 seconds in against Mancos freshman Brandon Vannest.
Finally, sophomore Cayle McCoy also ended up 0-2, losing twice by pin at 106 pounds – first to unattached entrant Anthony Manzanares in 47 seconds, then to PSHS freshman Michael Thomas in 40.
LADIES INVADE ALAMOSA
Ignacio’s Lady Bobcats also saw action the first true weekend of the New Year, as they traveled out to Alamosa and wrestled in tandem with fellow SJBLers Dolores.
Leading the way was 127-pound junior Faye Hackett, who went 3-1 overall – including pins of Olathe junior Angelina Bollinger, Durango junior Amiah Hanson and Monument Palmer Ridge sophomore Myra Davis – and placed second to Grand Junction Central junior Apollonia Middleton.
Senior Lexy Young went 1-2 at 136 pounds, losing in the single-elimination bracket’s semifinals to eventual champ Sage Lechman, a junior at Kremmling West Grand, then to Olathe sophomore Iaeliana Delgado in the consolation semis. And in the division’s round-robin ‘B’ bracket, Danylle Herrera went 0-4 and finished fifth. And at 118 pounds freshman Audrey Roderick went 0-2, eliminated just before the third-place match.
Held the day before AHS’ Gary Ramstetter Classic, Central’s Lady Warriors won the tournament 141-78 over runners-up OHS. Alamosa (69) took third and WGHS (28) fourth, while Bayfield and PRHS tied for fifth place with 18 points each.
Dolores/Ignacio came in seventh with 16 points, followed by La Junta (14) and Durango (2).