Nine BMS wrestlers qualify for state tourney

MEEKER I Nineteen Barone Middle School wrestlers competed in the third annual middle school regional tournament in Fruita last Saturday and nine qualified for the state tournament in Denver this weekend.
“It was the toughest tournament we’ve been in so far this year,” BMS head coach Lee Overton said of the competition in the 16-man brackets, which also included sixth-graders. “Every size of middle school from the western slope of Colorado was there.”
The top eight in each weight qualified for the state tournament, scheduled to be wrestled in the Denver Coliseum, starting Friday.
BMS eighth-graders Willis Begaye, Dylan Mobley and J.C. Henderson were the highest-placing qualifiers for the Cowboys, placing fourth in their respective weights.
Eighth-grader Zane Pfau finished fifth, as did seventh-grader Austin Purcell. T.J. Shelton was the only BMS sixth-grader to qualify with a fifth place finish. Eighth-graders Tristin Pelloni and Qynton Larson qualified for the state tournament in sixth place, as did seventh-grader Jake Phelan.
“With a couple of breaks, we could have qualified a couple more,” Overton said.
Others who competed but did not qualify were; Dalton Carson, Aaron Cochran, Kenny Kohls, Tim Barnes, Josh Winge, Anthony Watt, along with sixth-graders Dillon Frantz and twins Cody and Cole Purcell.
“This will be a good experience for them to see a big tournament in Denver before they get into high school,” Overton said. “We hope to come back with some state placers.”