RANGELY | “We are a very young team with only freshmen and sophomores but I look for us to enter the regional tournament, ready to battle,” Rangely head wrestling coach J.C. Chumacero said.
Because of illness and injury, the Panthers were idle the final weekend of the regular season and will enter the Region 5 tournament Saturday in Delta with three wrestlers.
Freshman Anthony Garner will represent the Panthers at 120, sophomore Tytus Coombs will wrestle in the 132-pound bracket and sophomore Dalton Dembowski will enter the 195-pound bracket.
Coach Chumacero said sophomore Justin Rusher’s injury “resulted in a cast and he will be unable to finish the season.”
“This was a tough injury, because Justin has been working so hard all year and was having a successful season,” Coach Chumacero said. “Thankfully he is young and we look forward to a very strong next two years out of him.”
Coombs will enter the regional tournament with a 22-4 record and as the seventh ranked 2A 132-pounder in the state by On the Mat Rankings.
“I am very happy with how we have progressed this season,” Coach Chumacero said. “We are a small team but with our lack of numbers, we make up for with heart.”
