Rangely wrestlers nip Grand Valley

RANGELY I Jeff LeBleu likes where his team is at.
“We are peaking at the right time, I think,” said the Rangely wrestling coach.
On the heels of winning its own tournament two weeks ago, the Panthers beat Grand Valley in a dual 39-37, though, “They were open in some weights. That’s the only reason we won that one,” LeBleu said of last Thursday’s match.
Going in, LeBleu said he expected Grand Valley would be a good team.
“We knew that they would be solid,” the Rangely coach said. “That was just keepin’ someone tough on our schedule.”
LeBleu said the Panthers weren’t at their best against Grand Valley.
“It looked like we had a hangover from our tournament,” LeBleu said. “There were some good matches, but we didn’t look good overall.”
Individual winners for Rangely in the Grand Valley dual were: JC Chumacero 125, Bo Armstrong 189 and Mike Dillon 215.
The following night, Rangely lost a dual against Paonia 40-30. Winners for the Panthers were: Chumacero 125, Devon Rose 130, Blake Wanstedt 135, Logan Osborne 145, Travis Witherell 152, Mike Dillon 215 and Kindal Cushman heavyweight.
Then on Saturday, the Panthers gained some revenge. They returned for the Paonia 10-team tournament — about a half dozen teams were unable to make it due to weather — and won it, besting the host team 238 to 231. Merino was third and Fowler fourth in the team scoring.
“That was sweet,” LeBleu said of winning the tournament. “We wrestled well Friday in the dual. We lost but … that carried over into Saturday and we just kept wrestling good.”
Rangely champions were: Chumacero 125, Rose 130, Witherell 152 and Cushman heavyweight. Second-place finishers were: Wanstedt 135, Keane Raley 160 and Dillon 215. Other finishers were: Chad Peterson 112 (third), Cole Barlow 140 (third), Logan Osborne 145 (fourth), Jake Smith 171 (fourth), Bo Armstrong 189 (fourth) and Zakk Wenzel 140 (fifth).
After hosting county rival Meeker in a dual Tuesday, the Panthers will host Altamont, Utah, in its last competition before regionals.
“That dual with Altamont … they’re the No. 1 ranked team in Utah right now. But that’s what we want to get us ready for regionals, we want to wrestle those tough kids. So we’re ready when it counts,” LeBleu said.