Cowboy wrestling wrapped up the year with a win over Palisade for the second time this season. They had met at the Colorado Mesa University duals and the outcome was the same, despite the Cowboys being down three weights.
“Palisade has improved as a team as a whole,” commented head coach JC Watt. “They have a new head coach, he isn’t new to the team, he was the assistant coach previously.”
At 106 pounds Cody Richardson took the win in his first-ever varsity match as did his brother, Coy Richardson, at 126.
Koy Weber, 132, fell in a 12-9 to a good Palisade wrestler.
“Weber made a switch at the Warrior and we have seen a positive change in his wrestling,” commented Watt, “I think the freshman jitters are out of the way.”
133-pound Clay Crawford won easily 13-3.
Tanner Goodwin, 150, pinned for the win.
“Goodwin had a good match and got a nice win,” said Watt.
Cade Blunt, 175, Brendan Clatterbaugh, 190, and Judd Harvey, 215, and Noah LeBlanc at HWT all pinned their opponents.
“The upper weights performed as we had hoped and expected,” commented Watt. “LeBlanc beat the kid that won the tourney in Montrose when he was at a football camp. As a team the kids wrestled hard and it was a good dual to end the year.”
The first of the year brings an additional two-pound weight allowance which facilitates some movement in the weights.
“We will have a few kids moving weights, fill some empty weights and I think have all the slots filled,” Watt said.
The first of the year brings the highly competitive Tournament of Champions (TOC) in Vernal, Utah. Two returning Cowboys placed last year in the varsity tournament, Harvey took second at 215 and Hayden Shults placed fourth.
“It is still early in the season and we want to get the kids some good mat time,” said Watt. “We haven’t made all the decisions yet, but we won’t wrestle everyone at the varsity level and fill all the weights, we will enter some of the kids in the JV tournament so that they can get some quality mat time and experience.”
The TOC will begin Friday, Jan. 5 and wrap up on Saturday, Jan. 6.
BY TIFFANY JEHOREK
Special to the Herald Times
What was the team score?
Meeker 46 – Palisade 33