MCHS wrestlers show much improvement

MCHS wrestlers show much improvement

Jan. 12, 2002

STAFF REPORT

It was a lot closer than many people thought it would be. After all Montezuma-Cortez High School was taking a very good Monticello, Utah, varsity wrestling team Thursday night, Jan. 10, in Ron Wright Memorial Gym.

Monticello for years has had one of the better small-school programs in Utah. It fact, it won the Class 3A team state title a year ago and had most of those grapplers back. The Panthers, meanwhile, were shocked by Class 3A Ignacio in a dual before Christmas, they had bounced back and wrestled well at the Florence Tournament last weekend.

Although the Buckeroos won the dual 33-26, it was even closer than the score really indicated.

"I think a lot of people thought we were going to get blown out. But we have been really improving from week to week and it showed against Monticello," MCHS assistant coach Chuck Cotter reported.

Head coach Karl McGee and Cotter made three goals for the team and they accomplished many of them. Cotter said the three goals were to: go out and be the aggressor (get takedowns); have all matches go the distance if not win by pin; and win head to head matches.

"I have go and look at the tape, but I think we were the aggresors. A lot of matches did go the distance and we won some matches. Overall, I thought we wrestled very well against a very good team," Cotter said.

Panther Owen House won by forfeit at 103 pounds. Ryan Meany lost a close 3-6 decision at 112 that "could have gone either way." Lyle Benally lost 4-10 to a very tough wrestler at 119. Ryan Meastas dropped a tough 4-7 decision at 125.

Tyler Gray, one of the top wrestlers in Colorado, won an 8-4 decision at 130. Jared Sanders lost a tough match in overtime 12-14 in another match which could have gone either way, according to Cotter. Travis Spruell won by pin in 2 minutes, 47 seconds at 140. The Panthers forfeited at 145.

Dallas Reed won by forfeit at 160. He wrestled an exhibition and won by pin in 1:10. Connery Benally was bumped up in weight to 171. He was pinned in 40 seconds to a very good wrestlers. Panther Jarin Geisler won by forfeit at 189. MCHS lost by forfeit at 215. Both teams forfeited at heavyweight.

The Panthers will take a little time off to prepare for finals this Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 16-17. They will not compete again until they travel all the way to Denver to compete in the Mullen Tournament on Jan. 19. Looming ahead is a big battle as Cortez hosts Southwest League rival Durango for a dual on Jan. 24.

Mancos High School varsity wrestlers are participating all day today, Jan. 12, in the Navajo Nations Tournament at Shiprock, N.M. Dolores County and Dolores will be competing at the Paonia Tournament all day today.