deKay wins, three ’Cats place second
Eight IHS wrestlers wrapped up the 2023 portion of the team’s winter schedule Saturday, December 16, in Walsenburg.
Five closed out the Pete & Ina Gomez Invitational ranking top-five – helping the team do likewise.
Not a bad way to ring in the holidays.
Led by sophomore Lincoln deKay’s championship victory at 150 pounds, the Bobcats piled up a competitive 112 points and placed a strong fifth out of 31 scoring squads. Coming in fresh off a home dual on the 14th versus Metro Area city rival Lakewood, 4A Bear Creek racked up a winning 156.5, and 2A Swink (137.5) claimed runner-up honors in what ended up being the last-ever sporting event held inside old John Mall H.S. Gymnasium.
With its varsity competing at the 12/15-16 Reno, Nev., Tournament of Champions, 3A Alamosa’s junior varsity finished third at the Invitational with 117.5 points – just 1.5 ahead of 4A Monument Palmer Ridge (which decided against competing at the 84-team Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament in Greeley) and 5.5 ahead of 2A Ignacio.
After pinning 3A Lamar freshman Alex Aguilar Salcedo in just 59 seconds, following a first-round bye, deKay then scored a slim 6-5 win over 2A Ellicott senior Jedrek Howarth in the weight’s semifinals and then closed out the tournament sticking 5A Colorado Springs Pine Creek JV entrant Miguel Sanchez, a junior, 1:42 into the second two-minute period.
Steadily working himself back into wrestling shape while recovering from a knee injury suffered early in IHS’ football season, senior heavyweight Kyle Rima placed second – pinning two opponents, but then losing by second-period pin in the final round to Swink junior Lincoln Tomky.
Pinning two foes, one in just 27 seconds, sophomore Aven Bourriague finished 3-1 – losing only in the championship to 2A Crowley County (Ordway) sophomore Derreck Buford by 13-3 major decision – and placed second at 113 pounds. Also placing second for the ’Cats was sophomore Zane Pontine, who went 3-1 at 144. Defeated 10-7 in the weight’s finale by 2A Walsenburg’s Giovanni Aldretti, Pontine pinned his first opponent and then advanced to the championship via a five-point, then a four-point win.
Kendrick Nossaman also earned top-five status by finishing 3-2 at 175 pounds. The junior pinned his first two opponents before losing 12-8 to Palmer Ridge senior Conor Fry in the semis. Alamosa sophomore A.J. Joshua then pinned Nossaman in 44 seconds, but Nossaman rebounded to stick PRHS sophomore Max McNett 58 ticks into the second period with fifth place at stake.
Sophomore 132-pounder Dillon Brann did not place but earned one win – an 11-9 sudden-victory result over 2A Del Norte senior Colby Gandy. Competing at 120, sophomore Joshua Kerrigan also went 1-2 at the meet – logging a 6-1 decision over PCHS freshman Noah Hurlbert – but freshman Judah Ashley went 0-2 at 126, despite lasting the full six minutes in each bout.
When competition resumes after the New Year, Ignacio will first see action Friday, Jan. 5, at a quadrangular hosted by Dolores. Also slated to attend are Montezuma-Cortez and Monticello, Utah, with action presently set to start at 4p.m. Jordan Larsen’s gents will then travel to Pagosa Springs the next day for PSHS’ Rocky Mountain Invitational, beginning at 10a.m.
On the girls’ side of things, skipper Aimee Larsen’s Lady Bobcats will next compete Jan. 5-6 in Grand Junction at the G.J. Central-hosted Border Battle. Day 1 action is slated to start at 2p.m., and the Saturday session at 9a.m.
2023 PETE & INA GOMEZ INVITATIONAL STANDINGS (top 10 of 31 teams)
1.Lakewood Bear Creek 156.5, 2.Swink 137.5, 3.Alamosa JV 117.5, 4.Monument Palmer Ridge 116, 5.IGNACIO 112, 6.Trinidad 104.5, 7.County Line (Eads/Cheyenne Wells/McClave/Wiley) 95.5, 8.Dove Creek 88, 9.Lamar 86.5, 10.Colorado Springs Pine Creek JV 79.