6 wrestlers compete in Pagosa Springs

MEEKER — Six Meeker High School wrestlers and their new head coach traveled to Pagosa Springs for a four-day wrestling camp, featuring clinicians from the Olympic Training Center (OTC).
Incoming seniors Jared Doll, Clint Sampson and Andrew Aldridge; incoming freshmen Ean Barrow, Christopher Ruckman and Ethan Overton; and head coach Joe Gutierrez made the trip.
“We had a good time,” Gutierrez said. “We got to see the intensity level of world-class wrestlers.”
Terry Brands, a two-time NCAA Division I and two-time world champion, Olympic bronze medalist and current freestyle coach at the OTC, along with Yugoslavian Momir Petkovic, an Olympic champion, three-time world silver medalist and Greco-Roman assistant coach at the OTC and Vladislav Izboinikov of Russia, the OTC national development coach, were the main clinicians.
Meeker’s wrestlers also wrestled several duals and Doll and Sampson were picked to wrestle in the all-star dual at the end. Doll was undefeated in 12 matches and Sampson won 11 of 13.
“We wrestled kids from Arizona, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado,” Gutierrez said. “Our younger kids got their eyes opened to a different level of competition and our seniors showed good leadership on and off the mat.”
Gutierrez wanted to thank Nick Ruckman for driving a vehicle and long-time supporter Gerald Morris for covering the gasoline costs for the trip.
Gutierrez is planning a takedown tournament for July 12.