MEEKER | The MHS Cowboys wrestling team split for the final time this wrestling season. The JV squad participated in a tournament in Kremmling and varsity battled it out at the Warrior Classic in Grand Junction.
Ty Goedert (106), Charles Curry (126), Connor Blunt (132), Dax Sheridan (160), Colby Clatterbaugh (182), Ridge Williams (220) and Reese Harvey (285) were the Cowboys that participated in the 2019 Warrior. The tournament brought in 45 teams from four states, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming to battle it out on the mats for two days.
Meeker scored 53 team points and placed 18 with seven members, two of whom had never attended the Warrior (Harvey and Blunt).
“Our kids did really well,” commented head coach JC Watt. “Two of them made it to the finals, Clatterbaugh wrestled for first and Williams wrestled for fifth.”
The double elimination tournament with 680 matches allowed the team to compete against kids from all school sizes, at some of the highest levels of competition they will see, and gain some valuable experience. At the end of the tournament the individual records stand at Goedert (4-2), Curry (6-8), Blunt (9-6), Sheridan (8-6), Clatterbaugh (15-1), Williams (9-4), and Harvey (6-5).
“We continue to see improvements as the season progresses,” said Watt, “the strength, conditioning, and the mat time the team is getting will allow them to continue to get better.”
There were some big accomplishments at the Warrior, Williams who had a bye in the first round and waited until mid-afternoon until he wrestled for the first time, winning by decision in overtime against Raymond from Rawlins, and pinning Andreason from North Sevier in the third at 1 minute 20 seconds. In the fourth round, which took place on Saturday morning, Williams grappled against Cody Ponce from Eagle Valley, who pinned Williams and went on to take the 220 weight class. Williams then began his battle from the consolation bracket, first with Bartley of Piedra Vista and then in the final round Austin Trujillo of Alamosa. Williams took home sixth place from his last Warrior Classic.
Clatterbaugh was the most successful Cowboy, he had some of the hardest matches, taking on some of the top ranked, 182 pound wrestlers from around the area. In his final match he took on Dylan Swift, who placed sixth in Utah class 4A, 160 pound, in 2019 Utah State Championship. The scoring was back and forth and the pair were well matched; Clatterbaugh fell by pin with just over 30 seconds left in the third, and brought home second place.
Next up is the first home dual of the 2019-2020 season. Grand Valley will travel to Meeker on Thursday, Jan 9, the night before the team heads to the Tournament of Champions in Vernal, Utah Jan 10-11.
By Tiffany Jehorek | Special to the Herald Times
Photos courtesy of Tiffany Jehorek and Gayle Zimmerman
