The senior members of the Moffat County wrestling team continue to move forward as they enter what will be the final month of their biggest season yet.
The MCHS boys will host a triangular on Thursday January 26 between the Bulldogs, Hayden and Basalt, while the MoCo girls will compete in a doubles match with Basalt. The game will begin at 5:00pm and will include a senior night ceremony highlighting the seniors who are part of the junior program.
After a week off from tournament play, the Bulldog boys were back in the thick of things, starting with a Jan. 17 double in Rifle that equaled a 66-9 win by eight pins. That sent Moffat County into this weekend’s two-day Top of the Rockies tournament, hosted by Centaurus High School in Lafayette. The Dogs were 14 out of 43 schools, most of which were larger Front Range teams.
The Bulldog roster went to work, with seniors Michael Voloshin and Kaden Hixson making podium finishes. Voloshin went 3-1 for second place in the 165lbs class, with a crash, an injury forfeit and an 11-2 big decision taking him to the final. Though he struggled for points in a 7-0 loss, the Bulldog’s upperclassman made it to the dying seconds.
Dipping into the 126-pound weight class, Hixson made it all the way to the quarterfinals with a 4-3 record by the end of Saturday, January 21. He took one pin and three decisions, giving up a single fall on a sixth-place finish.
Though most of the dogs struggled to get ahead in the brackets, Colt Call, Kaeden Martinez, Eli Fredrickson, Aron Aguilar, Zach Hedman, Blake Hill and Billy Lawton had at least one win in the tournament.
The MoCo Girls stayed on the Western Side with the MLK Women’s Tournaments hosted by Grand Junction Central.
Friday January 20 was a double team event that saw the Bulldogs go 3-2 with wins over Monte Vista (42-24), Rifle (45-12) and Central JV (42-33). A 45-36 loss to Olathe was largely due to the Pirates’ larger roster, as they compiled an uncontested 24 points versus two MoCo wins by forfeit.
MoCo senior Makalea Simpson went undefeated going into the doubles team event, with Mikah Vasquez, HayLee Staker and Kenleigh Pubanz each going 4-1.
The next day saw a true tournament format with the Bulldogs taking third place among 12 schools, with nine of the Bulldogs placed.
Simpson won the 170 lb class by three straight pins. Vasqeuz also made it to the final with consecutive first bout falls before earning silver at 115 pounds.
Pubanz took third in the 235 class, while Adrianna Price (105) and Kayla Deaton (130) also took bronze, going 4-1 and 2-2, respectively.
Abby Martinez (120) went 2-2 to reach fourth, and Raegan McMillan (110) was 3-2 and Cydny Witherell (135) 2-2, each for fifth. Rounding out the placing was Callah Caperturan in sixth at 1-3.
“It was a busy weekend. The girls have shown great poise and sportsmanship,” said coach Ashleigh Seely. “Their discipline is paying off.”
Following their triangular, the Bulldog boys will compete this weekend at the Grand Valley Duals on Saturday. The girls will have a weekend off before an Olathe on the road rematch on February 2 and host a home doubles match on February 4 against Grand Junction.
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