The Rangely Panthers began their 2023-2024 wrestling season on the road this past weekend, starting in Olathe, Colorado. The dual meet proved to be tightly contested. Freshman Cameron Preciado had an impressive debut, pinning his opponent in just 26 seconds. Fellow freshman Christian Fortunato received a forfeit.
A notable match featured Aydan Christian against Trevor Piatt, both pre-season ranked wrestlers. Christian dominated the match but inadvertently pinned himself while executing a spladle, a move famous in Moffat County wrestling. First-year wrestler Ronny Anderson and Wyatt Stevens both faced defeats by falls. Senior Kobey Chism swiftly won his match by a fall in 1:10, while JR Landon Carlson, battling fatigue, was pinned with only a second left. Izaiah Moody won by forfeit. Rangely forfeited two weight classes. Jaxon Torsell and Braden Lucas secured victories, Torsell winning by fall in 1:03 and Lucas by forfeit. The final score was Olathe 48, Rangely 42. In JV matches, Davon Lucero and Joseph Nickson both lost by pins.
On Saturday, the Panthers competed in the Maverick Duals at Mesa State. Against Coal Ridge, the Panthers saw wins from Preciado, Fortunato, Christian, Anderson, Stevens, Chism, Moody, Torsell and Lucas, leading to a 51-18 victory. The next duel against Montrose ended with a 51-24 score, favoring Montrose, with Chism, Carlson, Torsell and Lucas winning their matches. The toughest dual of the day was against Palisade, where only Preciado and Torsell won their matches. Chism, a key team member, dislocated his shoulder during his match.
The Panthers finished strong, defeating Battle Mountain 60-6 and Rifle 54-30. The coaches expressed satisfaction with the team’s effort but acknowledged the need for significant improvement before February. The team extends gratitude to all who supported them during these matches.
