RANGELY | This weekend the Rangely Panthers wrestling team traveled to Norwood where they wrestled extremely well. “This was only our second outing this year and I couldn’t be more proud. The young men wrestled with a lot of heart and desire to win,” said head coach JC Chumacero.
Because of the new format this season all the athletes are having hard time matching up perfectly which is affecting mat time, Chumacero explained. “The guys are responding to it all really well and are wrestling hard.”
Rangely’s first dual was against Norwood, where as a team they won 39-12. “We wrestled really tough matches throughout this dual. They were tough and we had to earn every win,” Chumacero said.
Freshman Kobey Chism (132) won by points, beating his opponent 11-5. Juniors Zane Varner (152) and Brent Cantrell (170) both beat their opponents by pin. Chumacero said he has been impressed by freshman Kobey Chism’s “wrestling really smart and technical matches,” and said junior Brent Cantrell has come a long way, proving what dedication and time in the room can do. “He is earning every win he gets and I love seeing him get them by pin.”
The Panthers’ second dual was against Nucla. Nucla only had four wrestlers, giving up a lot of weights. Rangely won as a team 46-6. Sophomore Colton Stevens (126) came up short of a win but has made huge improvements from last year, Chumacero said, adding, “Colton is wrestling like a new man and is working really hard. His wins will start coming.” Chism won by pin, Varner bumped up a weight and defeated his opponent by pin. Senior Anthony Garner (182) also defeated his opponent by pin in his first competition of the season due to quarantine and personal reasons. “He looked good and I could tell he was hungry. He is our only senior this year and I know he wants to leave a mark,” Chumacero said.
Rangely’s final dual was against Paonia. “This is where we struggled a little bit but we wrestled really hard,” Chumacero said. Juniors Varner and Byron Mackay (285) were the only two to come away with wins. Varner beat his opponent 11-8. “This young man wrestled a lot prior to this match and gave up some weight,” Chumacero said. “Zane wrestled really well this weekend and showed a lot of heart.
Also in his first outing of the season, Mackay beat his opponent in triple overtime winning 3-2. “I am very happy to see Byron get on the mat. He has been so hungry and ready to get out and wrestle. I thank the whole team for wrestling so hard this weekend and would like to recognize them all,” Chumacero said.
Rangely’s wrestling roster includes sophomore Colton Stevens (126), freshman Kobey Chism (132), junior Alex Black (145), junior Zane Varner (152), junior Brent Cantrell (170), senior Anthony Garner (182), freshman Jaxon Torsell (195), freshman Kasen Lebleu (220), and junior Byron Mackay (285). Unable to wrestle were junior Braxton Moore (145) and sophomore Julian Pena (170).
Special to the Herald Times
