MEEKER I Barone Middle School eighth-grader Eli Hanks was the only Cowboy to win a gold medal in the Carl Ramunno Memorial wrestling tournament held Saturday in Steamboat Springs.
Four other Barone wrestlers placed in the top four, and the Cowboys finished sixth as a team.
The young Cowboys will wrestle the Panthers in a dual tonight in Rangely, starting at 5 p.m., then wrestle in another tournament Saturday in Oak Creek.
“Eli’s toughest match was in the semis against Ridge (Williams, who is Hanks’ teammate),” head coach J.C. Watt said. Williams went on to finish third in the 160-pound bracket.
Tevin Pelloni was also a consolation champ in the 115-pound bracket. Teammates Jake Shelton, a seventh-grader, and James Amick, an eighth-grader, wrestled each other twice in the tournament, with Amick winning in the quarterfinal round before the two met in the consolation championship, where Shelton won the bronze medal in the 135-pound bracket.
Tucker Slaugh (85), won two matches but did not place. Brennan Ibach (100), Charles Curry (100), Trapper McGruder (90), Kesston Hobbs (130) and Gabe Gonzalez (150), all won one match in their respective brackets.
“We really are improving,” coach J.C. Watt said.