BMS wrestlers finish 2nd in home tourney

MEEKER I For the first time in Barone Middle School history, the sixth-graders were allowed to wrestle on the team, and two finished as champions in the final school-sponsored tournament of the season Saturday in Meeker.
Two Meeker wrestlers also qualified for the middle school state wrestling tournament by placing in the regional meet in Grand Junction on the same day.
“It was awesome, having the sixth-graders wrestle with us this year,” BMS head coach Lee Overton said. “I think it shed some new light for these younger kids on what wrestling is all about.”
Barone Middle School sixth-graders Tucker Slaugh (75) and Trapper McGruder (80), both won their respective brackets. McGruder helped his team to a second-place finish by earning bonus points for pinning all five of his opponents.
North Park won the tournament with 128 points, Meeker was second with 95 and Gypsum Creek finished third with 92 points in the field of eight teams.
“It was a great tournament,” Overton said.
BMS eighth-grader Daylon Nielsen also won a gold medal in his final middle school tournament. Nielsen won the 120-pound bracket, where BMS sixth-grader Jake Shelton finished second.
James Amick (115) and Miguel Lopez (275) finished second in their respective weights. Christopher Strate (125) and Ridge Williams (175) finished fourth in their brackets.
Luis Villalpando, Pake Burke, Kesston Hobbs, Jared Henderson and Eli Hanks combined to win several matches, but none placed in the top four.
Tannen Kennedy placed second in the regional tournament in Grand Junction and eighth-grader Garrett Frantz placed fourth, both qualifying to wrestle in the middle school state tournament this weekend in Denver. Brothers Tevin and Jacob Pelloni also attended the regional tournament but did not qualify for the state meet.
Overton wanted to thank assistant coach J.C. Watt for running the tournament and all the parents for their support during the season.