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Dec. 8, 2001
BY JIM THOMAS It was a great way for the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity wrestling team to start a long weekend of action. They competed Thursday night, Dec. 6, at home for a dual meet against Bayfield and then left Friday morning, Dec. 7, to compete that afternoon and all day today, Dec. 8, in the 31-team field of the Monument Valley Tournament at Kayenta, Ariz. The Panthers defeated the Class 3A Wolverines 45-29 in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. "We had some adversity tonight and we overcame it," new MCHS head coach Karl McGee said following that match which was held in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. "We saw some good things from our kids. We spotted them 18 points and then came back strong. We had both (heavyweight) Elias (Lehi) and (215-pounder) Brad (Phillips) out (strep throat). I was really proud of the whole team." McGee had nothing but praise for Bayfield’s second-year highly-regarded coach Herb Stinson. Stinson is a legend in New Mexico guiding Aztec High School to 10 straight Class 3A State Tournament Championships. "They have come along ways since last year. (MCHS assistant coach Chuck) Cotter knows him real well after competing against him both as a player and coach at Los Alamos High School. It was an honor to coach against him tonight. His players know techniques," McGee commented. Instead of starting the traditional way of lightest (103) to heavyweight, a card with a weight is drawn. The match started with the 189-pound bout. Bayfield’s Sean Melrose had no problems pinning Jarin Giesler (1 minute, 1 second). The Wolverines led 0-12 after the 215-pound contest was over. Panther Michael LeCompte was forced to retire and forfeit after three injury timeouts for bad upper thigh leg cramps. Bayfield’s Mat Vandenbergh received the win. Panther heavyweight Elias Lehi is nursing a separated shoulder injury so MCHS had an open at that weight. Cameron Kling picked up the win by forfeit for a 0-18 Bayfield lead. Cortez picked up a win at 103 when BHS’s Blane Huntsman was over weight. Cody Dennison won by forfeit. The two wrestlers wrestled in an exhibition with Dennison scoring at will (9-1 decision). The score went to 6-18. MCHS had no trouble at 112 with Ryan Meany taking on BHS’ Quinn Overy. Meany took Overy down with 1:18 left in the first period. Meany worked him and got a half-Nelson and then it was good night. Meany pinned him in 55 seconds. The Panthers were now on a roll at 12-18. Matt Ott, at 119, battled Bayfield’s Michael Kramer. The bout went the distance. In the first period, Ott shot and took Kramer to the mat. He tried to run him over but couldn’t. The scored ended 2-0 when the period ended. Ott got tangled up but quickly made a reversal at 1:47 left. That was all the scoring in the second period. Kramer was on his belly and clearly not trying to wrestle. He was called for stalling and gave up a point. He got called for stalling again. Ott had a 6-0 lead. Kramer did get a reversal with 11 seconds left but Ott held on for the 6-2 decision. Cortez now trailed 15-18. The next bout, at 125, was a good one, also going the distance. Lyle Benally battled against Bayfield’s Dan Edwards. With just under a minute gone in the first period, Benally shot and took Edwards down. The two wrestled but neither could gain much of advantage. Edwards made a move and picked up a reversal. Edwards then nearly pinned Benally. Benally trailed 2-5. In the second period, Benally quickly took control and nearly pinned Edwards and was woon up 7-5. Benally scissored Edwards but he escaped. Benally made a reversal and then a near-fall for an 11-6 victory. The match was now tied 18-all. Veteran Tyler Gray, one of the top wrestlers in Colorado, had no problems with Chris Simmons at 130. Gray, who was penalized a point for an unsportsman-like move, quickly regained his composure and pinned Simmons in 1:36. The Panthers led 24-18. At 135, Panther Jared Sanders won by pin over Bayfield’s Kameron Cundiff in 4:58. Sanders trailed 4-7 at the end of the second period. But Sanders went to work on Cundiff early in the third, got him in a cradle, and it was all over. Cortez increased its lead to 30-18. Bayfield’s Tim Carothers scored points quicker than Michael Jordan over his opponent, Ryan Maestas at 140 pounds. Carothers scored and scored and scored. He quickly jumped out front 2-11 and soon it was all over at 4-19, a superior decision. MCHS led 30-23. Cortez’ Travis Spruell won an exciting match over Loren Morrison at 145. The two struggled but neither gained much of advantage. Spruell finally scored late in the first period off a reversal. Leading 4-0, Morrison rallied to tie the match at 4-4 with 39 seconds left in the third period. Spruell scored with an escape and scored again with a near-fall for the 7-4 decision. The Panthers held a 33-23 advantage. Andy Spruell won by forfeit when Bayfield’s Marcus Dodd did not make weight at 152. The two wrestled an exhibition match. Spruell dominated leading 8-2 at the end of the first, 10-3 at then of the second and 18-8 by the end of the match. The Panthers were now in total control at 39-23. Connery Benally had no problems with BHS’s Eric Stone at 160. Benally took him down at the 1:23 mark and pinned him in 1:09. Cortez led 45-23. "I have to take my hat off to Connery," McGee said. "Stone is a fairly tough kid and Benally went after him. I think that really won the match for us." Jay Miller pinned Panther Dallas Reed in 45 seconds in the 171 contest. That made the final 45-29 count. The Panthers will be joined by Dolores County at the Monument Valley Tournament, sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. Dolores will head to the Sargent Tournament alll day today. Mancos will grapple at Cedaredge all day today. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez Journal.
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