MEEKER I Tuesday was the opening of the wrestling season for Barone Middle School (BMS). Their first matches of the year, a triangular between Meeker, Craig and Hayden.
“The kids looked nervous against Hayden but battled back against Craig,” commented head coach Todd Morris.
Meeker triumphed over Hayden 62-45 but fell to Craig 65-52.
“The boys worked hard during practice after the Tuesday night slow start, and it paid off. We have a lot of seventh graders who are very green but learning fast; the eighth graders that wrestled last year have grown into men. We have had a few in the heavier weights in the past years, but this year we have 10 boys from 150-190 lbs. This is also the first time in a few years that we have had a 70 lb. wrestler,” Morris said.
Saturday Meeker traveled to Gypsum for the Gypsum Creek Invitational with 16 teams and BMS took first, crowning eight champions: Connor Rose, Zeek Giannetti, Adrianna Price, Tanner Goodwin, Teagan Sheridan, Brendan Clatterbaugh, Judd Harvey and Noah Leblanc all placed. “Price, Clatterbaugh, Harvey and Leblanc all had tough matches in the finals, but were able to come out with wins wrestling very hard and smart,” Morris said.
Finishing in second was Bo Muxlow and Xavier Leblanc, third was Wil Schwartz, Levi Caulfield, Hayden Gallob, Lynn Gallob and Cade Blunt, and fourth Dylan Hobbs, Dawson Richardson and Hayden Shults, all scoring valuable team points.
“I am proud of each and every one of them as they all improved, and that is what we want as coaches,” Morris said. “As a reward, we have a weekly milkshake move if you successfully complete [it] during a match. [It] cost me 33 milkshakes before the day was over and was well deserved to the kids, as they scored 275 points, 83 points ahead of second-place Fruita, and 57 pins,” Morris said.
“I’d like to thank Ellie Hossack, Finley Deming and Narely Oliva, my managers; Kurt Blunt and Steve Gianinetti, my assistants; and all the parents that helped. With five mats going the coaches were stretched thin,” wrapped up Morris. “It shows that Meeker wrestling is a huge family.”
This week the team wrestles Thursday and Saturday in Rifle and Soroco.
By TIFFANY JEHOREK
Special to the Herald Times
