Ignacio pulls big upset on mat at MCHS

Ignacio pulls big upset on mat at MCHS

Dec. 22, 2001

CONNERY BENALLY, 160-pounder for the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity wrestling team, dominates Gunnar Simon of Ignacio in a dual meet Thursday night in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. Benally, who is rapidly becoming a force for the Panthers, won by pin. However, his effort was not enough as the Class 3A Bobcats pulled an upset over the 4A Panthers. IHS won 54-23.

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

There seems to be much to learn yet for the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity wrestling team. The Panthers were upset by Class 3A Ignacio 23-54 Thursday night, Dec. 20, in an interclass dual in Ron Wright Memorial Gym.

MCHS first-year head coach Karl McGee was not immediately available for comment following the setback. McGee didn’t look too happy following the loss. The Panthers will take a break for the Christmas-New Year’s and try to regroup. They will compete in the Florence Tournament Jan. 5 and then host a good Monticello, Utah, team for a dual on Jan. 10.

The Class 4A Panthers started in a hole right off the bat. They had to forfeit the 215-pound class and were down 0-6 on the team board. Ignacio’s Morris Moya pinned Brad Phillips, who was giving up a lot of weight and wrestling out of his weight class, in 3 minutes, 09 seconds. MCHS trailed 0-12.

A Panther bright spot came when Owen House won by pin in 1:12 over Brandon Silva. House took Silva down and dominated him. He nearly pinned him with 19 seconds to go in the first period. The pin came a few seconds later. MCHS trailed 6-12.

Although Panther Ryan Meany suffered a 5-7 decision to Ignacio’s Phillip Weaver, it was a good match.

The first score didn’t come until Weaver took Meany to the mat for takedown with 39 seconds left in the first period. Meany then got himself in trouble when he tried a Granby roll and went to far. Weaver nearly stuck him. The Ignacio wrestled had a 0-5 lead when the period ended. Meany made a reversal early in the second. He used a half-Nelson and then used his legs to bottle up Weaver. Meany nearly pinned Weaver. The score was tied 5-5 when the period ended. Meany was in total control at the start of the third. He broke down Weaver every time he tried to build a base. But Weaver regained control for a reversal and the win. MCHS was now down 6-15.

Panther Ryan Maestas was pinned by Rockey Cundiff at 119. It started out close as the two wrestlers fought hard. Maestas was working hard but Cundiff had the upper hand. Cundiff led 1-2 when the period ended. But Maestas quickly got into trouble. The end came at 3:39. The Panthers trailed 6-21.

MCHS’s Lyle Benally lost a 0-4 shocker to Adrian Abeyta at 125. This was a good match to watch from a fan’s point of view. Abeyta, who is a good wrestler, took Benally down and stayed on top of him. That was the only score of the period. Benally tried hard but never could get control. If riding time was still counted, Abeyta would have picked up some points. Benally did make a move in the third period but could not score any points. MCHS trailed 6-24.

But Tyler Gray, who is one of the best 4A wrestlers in the state, pulled through with an easy technical fall (15-0) over Justin Hogue in the 130-pound bout. Gray just dominated right from the beginning. Gray scored with a takedown, several two-point nearfalls and several three nearfalls. Cortez pulled within 11-24.

At 135, Panther Jake Martin ran into a buzsaw in Jordan Bulwan. Martin was taken down quickly and pinned in 45 seconds. IHS led 11-30. The Bobcats won by forfeit at 140 to lead 11-36.

Travis Spruell, at 140, suffered an upset at the hands of Ignacio’s Jared Lyons. The two wrestlers worked hard and it wasn’t until Lyons scored with a reversal with 1:07 to go. Lyons stayed in control and led 0-2 when the period ended. Spruell did not roll over and give up. But he did get into trouble when Lyons nearly pinned him with a cross-face. Spruell soon found himself down 0-6 on the scoreboard and on the bottom. Early in the third quarter Lyons nearly pinned him with 1:45 remaining. The Ignacio wrestled dominated. He used his legs well and pinned Spruell in 4:44. MCHS was now down 11-42 with no hope of winning the dual.

Cortez did win by forfeit at 152 which made the score 17-42.

The bright spot for MCHS came when Connery Benally took the mat against Gunnar Simon in the 160-pound contest. Simon came out the aggressor and took Benally down at 1:47 in the first period. Benally pulled a reversal to tie the score with 58 second left. Simon escaped. Starting in a neutral position, Benally took Simon down and almost pinned him at the buzzer. Benally led 7-3 when the period finally came to a close. Simon was penalized by using a head lock at the 1:46 mark in the second. Benally worked Simon’s legs and pinned him in 3:13. MCHS trailed 23-42.

Dallas Reed took the mat at 171 against Ross Melton of IHS for the final regular bout of the evening. The two grapplers were scoreless early but Melton took Reed to the mat at the 1:28 mark. Reed was in trouble. Melton used a half and slowly pulled Reed over. Melton nearly pinned him with 23 seconds left and nearly did it again. Reed trailed 0-8 when the period was over. Melton got Reed into trouble again early in the second. He used a crossface and pinned him in 2:54 for the final 23-48 team score.

Mancos High School ended the first half of the season on Wednesday, Dec. 19, in the Old Gym. The Blue Jays dominated MCHS JVs 54-23 in a dual.

"I know he (McGee) wanted to bring more varsity wrestlers with him that night. I know some of them were sick with a bug or they were injured. But that’s the way it goes in wrestling," MHS head coach Travis Bryant commented.

MCHS’s Connery Benally did make the trip and took on Mancos’ Chad Mitchell at 160 to open the action. Benally went to work on Mitchell right away with a takedown. Benally then pulled Mitchell over with a half-Nelson. Mitchell did comeback with a reversal but Benally led 5-2 on the board. Early in the second period, Benally used a Granby roll to get out of momentary trouble and turned Mitchell’s shoulders to the mat in 3:42. MHS trailed 0-6.

One of the best bouts of the evening came at 189 when Mancos’ Jeff Roland battled Jarin Geisler. Roland took a 2-0 lead but was called for an illegal hold (locked hands). Geisler made an escape to tie the score at 2-2 with 1:03 showing. That’s the way the score would remain at the end of the opening period. Roland made a reversal early in the second to lead 4-2. He kept in control but was penalized for an illegal hold (locked hands). Mancos pushed Geisler over and nearly pinned him at the buzzer to lead 7-3. Geisler regained control early in the third by using his hips well. Roland made a reversal at the 1:00 mark to lead 9-3. That’s the way the score would end. MHS was now on the board at 3-6.

Both teams double forfeited at 215 and heavyweight. It was mutually agreed the score would just remain at 3-6.

House was another varsity member from MCHS who did make the trip to Mancos. This was a good match as House tangled with Mancos’ Ian Mullikin. Mullikan took House down but House made a quick reversal. Mullikin then tossed House to the mat. The score stayed at 2-2. Early in the second period, Mullikin slipped on the mat and House took advantage. He nearly pinned Mullikin. House led 7-2. He used a half and turned Mullikin over for a three-point nearfall. House got a nose bleed. Time was stopped twice. Mullikin tried to shoot when the match was restarted in the neutral position. House scored with another reversal and got Mullikin in a cradle. House won with a majority decision, 16-2. Mancos trailed 3-10 on the scoreboard.

Vince Bazile (112) took on MCHS’s Kellen Benally. Benally was called for a stall early in the first. Bazile, a very good Class 2A wrestler, took Benally down and pinned him in 52 seconds. The Blue Jays had pulled within 9-10.

Anthony Mestas had no problems with Ryan Maestas of MCHS in the 119 contest. Mestas dropped him with a fireman’s carry and pinned him quickly in 1:18. MHS was now on top at 16-10.

MHS’s Chase Davis dominated his 125 match against Cody Allmon. Davis took a 2-0 lead when he put Allmon to the mat. He then worked him over and nearly pinned him for a 5-0 lead with 38.6 to go. He used a cross face and then a half for another nearfall for an 8-0 lead. Davis quickly got Allmon in a cradle and it was good night. He won by pin in 2:55. MHS now led 22-10.

At 130, Blue Jay’s Matt McGuire took on Jake Martin. Martin came out the aggressor and scored with a takedown. He was called for unnecessary roughness at the 1:29 mark. McGuire took Martin down to go ahead 3-2 with 1:04 in the second. McGuire had Martin in trouble and pinned him with 35 seconds left in the first period. MHS led 28-10.

At 135, MHS’s Cody Montoya won by forfeit. At 140, Jay’s Nathan Orona won by forfeit. MHS was now dominating on the scoreboard 39-10.

Scott Koppenhafer, who is signed and sealed to go to Adams State College next fall, dominated Travis Spruell at 145. Spruell did take Koppenhafer down. Spruell seemed in control early, using his legs well. Koppenhafer trailed 0-2 when the period ended. Both wrestlers were cautioned for stalling early in the second. Koppenhafer finally became the aggrssor and pinned Spruell with 52.4 second left in the second period (3:08 officially). MHS led 45-10.

Kelly Mitchell won by forfeit at 152. The team was penalized a point when Mitchell did not was not in gear and ready to wrestle (unsportsmanlike). MHS led 45-11.

Jakob Tallent took on Reed at 160. Tallent took Reed down, turned him over and pinned him 46 seconds. The final count was MHS 57, MCHS JVs 11.

"This was a good match to go into the break with. I happy with the way the kids performed. We had a good workout," Bryant added.

The Blue Jays will not hit the mat again until they compete in the Nucla Tournament on Jan. 5.

Dolores and Dolores County ended the first half of the season last week at the Bloomfield Tournament. Dolores and DCHS must wait a little longer. Those teams will not wrestle until they both participate in the Paonia Tournament on Jan. 12.