Cortez in head

Cortez in head-to-head matches against Class 5A Durango

Jan. 26, 2002

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Montezuma-Cortez High School gave up 18 forfeit points Thursday night, Jan. 24, but were competitive in most of its varsity wrestling matches against rival Durango in a Southwest League dual in Ron Wright Memorial Gym.

"We had some good matches in those that we went head-to-head in," MCHS first-year head coach Karl McGee said following the contest which MCHS lost by a deceiving 53-21 team score. "We have improved so much since the beginning of the season."

Trailing 0-12 to start the match after forfeiting at 215 pounds and heavyweight, the Class 4A Panthers won a match by forfeit at 103 when a DHS wrestler Joe Esquibel did not make weight. That made the score 6-12. However, Panther Cody Dennison and DHS JV wrestler Shaun Dahl participated in an exhibition.

Dennison jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first period after a takedown with a fireman’s carry and made a near fall at the 1 minute, 33-second mark. He got Dahl in a cradle and nearly pinned him and received three back points at the buzzer for a 9-2 lead. In the second period, Dennison, after starting in the neutral position, took Dahl to the mat with a double. He cradled him again for a 14-2 lead. Dennison ended up winning 19-3.

The first real contested match came at 112 when Ryan Meany took on Durango’s Ryan Boyle. Meany was decisioned 2-6. Boyle was clearly the aggressor in the first period and took Meany down for two points. Boyle was called for an illegal hold. Meany trailed only 1-2 when the period ended. Meany came out the aggressor in the second period but he got caught in a cross-face cradle and fell behind 1-4. In the third period, Meany got the upper hand but Boyle made a reversal. Boyle stayed on top most of the rest of the period.

Cortez’ Lyle Benally took on tough Kevin Sutherlin in the 119-pound bout. Benally prevailed with a hard-fought 10-6 decision. Benally scored four points quickly in the first round. He continually broke Sutherlin down. Sutherlin did get a reversal with a second left in the period but Benally led 4-2.

Right off the bat Benally shot and took Sutherlin down after they started in the neutral position. But Benally made a mistake and Sutherlin made a reversal. Benally, though, escaped and held a 7-4 lead with 32 seconds left in the second period. Sutherlin took Benally down for a 7-6 just before the period ended.

Neither wrestler scored during the early moments of the third period. Benally got himself in trouble but escaped to go up 8-6 with 45 seconds left. Benally again got in trouble but made a reversal for the 10-6 win. Cortez trailed 9-15.

"Meany gave everything he had but couldn’t pull it out. Benally wrestled probably his best match of the season and was clearly the aggressor," McGee said.

Ryan Maestas took on DHS’ Marcus Mandril in the 125-pound contest. Mandril dropped Maestas with a fireman and then used a half-Nelson to pin him in 54 seconds. Durango led 9-21.

Tyler Gray, one of the top 130-pounders in Colorado, had no problems with Durango’s Daniel Orris. Gray took Orris down and got him scissored. He stretched Orris out and recorded a three-point near fall for a 5-0 lead with 1:25 showing in the first period. He increased his lead to 7-0 with a two-point near fall. He again got Orris in a scissor and this time pinned him in 1:12. Cortez cut Durango’s lead to 15-21.

At 135 pounds, Panther Jared Sanders found himself facing a good Colton Waters. Sanders came out the aggressor but Waters made a quick move and dropped Sanders to the mat. Sanders used a Granby roll but went over too far and got into trouble. Waters used a half-Nelson and recorded a near fall. Sanders trailed 0-5 when the first period ended.

Sanders was gigged for a penalty with locked hands. Waters picked up another point to lead 7-0 after an escape. In the third period, with 12 seconds left, Sanders took Waters down but he ended up losing 2-9. MCHS now trailed 15-25.

Durango won by forfeit at 140 pounds. MCHS was now down 15-31.

Travis Spruell was to wrestle against tough Kyle Swain at 140. But McGee elected to use some gamesmanship and forfeit that weight so Spruell could be bumped up to face Durango frosh Jesse Mueller at 145. That worked well as Spruell pinned Mueller in 1:11. MCHS cut the Demon lead to 21-31.

"Maestas made a mistake and it cost him. Gray’s opponent was outmatched. Sanders wrestled a helluva match but lost. I knew the match at 140 might have been a push. I used some gamesmanship and bumped Spruell up and it paid off. But I apologized after the match to Swain for doing what I did," McGee remarked.

Andy Spruell took on Durango’s Ryan Elworthy at 152. This match went the distance with Spruell losing 6-16. Elworthy dominated the contest in the first period. He scored on a reversal, three-point near fall, and another near fall for a 7-1 lead. Spruell, though, came back in the second period. Trailing 1-9, Spruell got Elworthy in a cradle when Elworthy rolled too far. Spruell nearly pinned him but time expired. Spruell trailed 6-9 when the period ended.

Elworthy dominated the third. Spruell did get Elworthy on his back, but he made a reversal and then got Spruell in a head lock, which may have caused him to nearly pass out after the match was over. Elworthy nearly pinned him several more times and won 6-16. Spruell sat on the mat for quite awhile after all the matches were over. Spruell hyperventilated but was okay. MCHS was down 21-35 at that point.

McGee was hoping for some big points from Connery Benally at 160 but it didn’t happen. Benally took on Nathan Puls of Durango. Puls was in control the whole match. Puls led 13-3 when the first period ended. The match didn’t go on much longer as Benally was pinned in 3:14. Durango led 41-21.

Panther Dallas Reed battled but not long against Derek Cundiff in the 171 contest. Cundiff pinned him in 1:17. Durango led 47-21.

The 189-pound bout was the final contest of the evening. It wasn’t much of a contest. Jarin Giesler was pinned by Tyler Koses in 42 seconds for the final 53-21 score.

"We had some chances at the end. I thought the kids gave a great effort," he added.

The Panthers will compete all day today, Jan. 26, in the Rifle Tournament.

In Class 2A, Mancos, Dolores, and Dolores County will all be at the Ignacio Tournament today.