Yuma High School’s girls wrestling team will have plenty of practice time to gear up for the postseason.
The Indians closed out their regular season last week with an impressive dual win over Lamar, in their only home appearance of the season, then had another strong tournament showing on Saturday, finishing fifth in a 33-school field.
Now they have this week and next to prepare for the regional tournament February 11-12 at Fort Lupton High School.
“I think it will benefit them before going into regional next week,” head coach Brandon Newton said. “We can work on what each individual needs to get ready for regional.”
The extra time will be helpful also because the grapplers will be helping with the Yuma Youth Wrestling Tournament on Friday, and again for the YHS boys’ Big “O” Duals Tournament on Saturday.
Yuma’s girls certainly made the most of their only home appearance of the 2021-22 season.
The Indians cruised to a 42-15 dual win over Lamar before a large crowd in The Pit, last Thursday night.
Abril Montes de Oca got things rolling with a win by fall (3 minutes, 14 seconds) over Anna Ramirez at 136.
Natalia Serrano rallied for an exciting win at 161, winning by fall over Cortney Bellomy with four seconds left after trailing.
Mia Dischner won by fall (3:54) over Jaxi Mireles at 185 pounds.
Camila Sanchez got a 23 second pin over Heather Hancok at 100 pounds.
Chloe Smith worked her way to a win by fall (3:19) at 105 pounds over Jazmin Martinez.
Destiny Henderson got pin in 1:37 over Delorin Bellomy at 118.
The dual ended on a bummer note as a late move by Fatima Duran did not count, resulting in a 4-3 loss to Crystalyn Felan at 127.
The Indians then went to the Chatfield War Horse Invitational in Littleton on Saturday. It was a huge tournament with 33 teams competing, but the Indians battled their way to a fifth-place team finish with 75 points. Chatfield won the team title with 116 points, while Vista Ridge had 95, Douglas County 93, and Fort Lupton 83, followed by the Tribe to round out the top five.
“It was a good tournament for us to see what we’re going to see at regional and state,” Newton said.
Duran led the way by placing third at 127 pounds. The senior opened tourney action with a 38-second pin, then got an injury default win in the first period of the quarterfinals. She was pinned in the semifinals, but came back to win by fall (1 minute, 33 seconds) over Grand Junction’s Apollonia Middleton in the third-place match.
Marshall won her first match at 111 pounds, lost in the quarterfinals, but then won three straight in the consolation bracket for fifth place. Three of her four wins came by fall, and the fourth with an 11-0 major decision.
Dischner also went 4-1 while placing fifth at 185. She won her first match with a 39-second pin, lost in the quarterfinals, then won three straight, all by fall, to finish fifth.
Smith went 3-2 to place sixth at 105 pounds. She lost an “ultimate tie breaker” in the fifth-place match.
Henderson went 2-2 at 118 pounds, Sanchez one win at 100, and Serrano one win at 161.
Silver bracket
Four YHS grapplers competed in the “Silver” bracket. Maci Daugherty went 3-0 at 118, with two wins coming by fall. Nadia Carias went 2-2 at 100, Ximena Garcia one win at 127, and Peyton Hynson wrestled at 105.