Four BMS wrestlers qualify for state tourney

MEEKER — Four Barone Middle School wrestlers competed in the second annual regional tournament last Saturday in Grand Junction and all four qualified for the middle school state tournament this weekend in Denver.
BMS did not crown a champion but seventh-grader J.C. Henderson wrestled in the finals of the 80-pound bracket and finished second. Sixth-grader Colt Lewis and seventh-grader Aaron Cochran both qualified in the 85-pound bracket, where Lewis finished fourth and Cochran sixth. Seventh-grader J.R. Crawford will wrestle in the middle school state tournament after a fourth place finish in the 171-pound bracket.
Two other BMS wrestlers ended their season and spring break, wrestling in Steamboat Springs last Saturday. Logan Piper finished third and Ohana Metaia, did not place in her bracket.
The top eight placers from four Colorado regions will make up the 32-person state brackets.
“I think this is a great opportunity for the kids,” wrestling coach Joe Gutierrez said of the upcoming state tournament, where matches are wrestled on 15 mats. “Last year we took one wrestler, this year we are taking four. We get another week of wrestling and the kids get to wrestle in a big tournament.”
The tournament will be held in the National Western Complex in Denver, this Friday and Saturday.