After one of the most thrilling evenings in the venerable gymnasium’s long history last week, the Yuma High School wrestlers get one more competition in The Pit.
The Indians will close out the regular season tonight, February 6, with a dual against Wiggins on the home mat, which was the site of last week’s exciting 33-30 loss to rival and No. 1-ranked Wray.
Tonight’s match will close out the regular season for the Indians, who will get the weekend off from tournament action before preparing for regional, which will be held February 14-15. The Wiggins dual will be the annual Chuck Brophy Memorial Dual, as well as Parents’ Night. The action begins at 7 p.m.
Besides the Wray dual, the Indians also hosted Dolores Huerta Prep for a dual on Friday, and competed in the Stratton Invitational on Saturday.
The real fun occurred last Thursday night in The Pit as the two-time defending state champion Eagles came to town for the annual Yuma County Showdown on the Mat. The Indians had been blown out in the rivalry dual the last two years, but definitely were up for the challenge last Thursday.
A large crowd was treated to an exciting dual featuring several close matches, sending the decibel level way up there.
“It was very exciting,” coach Rory Lynch said, adding he has been told by others that the dual “might have been the most exciting thing they have seen in The Pit.”
It began at 182 pounds, where Yuma senior Cayden Lynch took on Wray’s Ty Hardesty, earning a tight 3-1 decision.
That got the hometown crowd going, and coach Lynch said it seemed to fire up the Indians.
Jose Ruiz followed at 195 with another exciting match against Carson Berghuis. It was another close decision with the Wray wrestler come out victorious this time, 9-7. Yuma then forfeited at 220, giving Wray a 9-3 lead.
Ashley Marshall got a forfeit win at 106, giving Yuma a 15-9 lead, but Yuma’s John Smith lost a 7-1 decision to Brady Collins.
Alec Holtorf returned the favor at 120 with a 7-1 decision over Dax Collins, giving Yuma an 18-12 lead.
Braden Smith followed with a 7-4 decision over Jake Dickson at 126.
Then came Blaze Brophy’s pin of Koy Smith at the 2-minute mark of the 132-pound match for a 27-12 Yuma lead.
Jesus Sanchez lost a 6-4 decision to Caeden Bauer at 138.
Joey Ross came back with a 9-3 decision over Wray’s Dillon Schmidt at 145 for a 30-15 lead.
However, Wray’s Tyler Collins then got a quick pin over Yahir Trejo at 152, and Emmanuel Huerta did the same over Louden Blach at 160.
That pulled the Eagles to within 30-27, but it also secured the dual win for them as Yuma had to forfeit at 170 to Payton Wade, giving the Eagles the final six points for a 33-30 win.
Coach Lynch noted some of the main Wray wrestlers missed the dual, but added the program seems to be stacked with quality wrestlers at nearly every weight. “I think they probably have real wrestle-offs for varsity spots every week,” he said.
The Indians were back in The Pit on Friday night to take on Dolores Huerta Prep in a dual rescheduled from earlier this season. It was a much more somber setting as there were only five matches on the mat, and the crowd was much smaller as other winter sports were playing out of town that evening.
Yuma won the dual, 51-12.
J. Smith won by sudden victory in overtime, 6-4, against Daniel Apodaca at 120. B. Smith won by fall (1:30) at 132 over Omar Soto.Trejo lost a 3-1 decision at 160, and Blach lost a 3-0 decision at 170. Ruiz won by fall (1:20) at 220. Getting forfeit wins were Holtorf at 126, Brophy at 138, Sanchez at 145, Ross at 152, Lynch at 182, and Mendoza at 285.
The Indians went to the Stratton Invitational on Saturday for their final regular-season tournament. They finished second in the team standings with 139.5 points. Colby, Kansas, won the team title with 173 points. Rounding out the top five in the 21-school field were Wray with 117, County Line with 97.5 and Byers with 93.
Yuma was powered by six second-place efforts.
C. Lynch won his first two matches at 182 before losing by technical fall in the championship match.
Ross won his first three matches at 145, two by fall and one by major decision, before losing by fall in the championship match.
Sanchez won his first three matches at 138, including a 47-second pin, but lost by fall in the first-plae match.
Brophy won his quarterfinal and semifinal matches by fall and technical fall at 132 before suffering a tough 1-0 loss for first place.
Holtorf won by fall and by decision in the quarterfinal and semifinal at 120, but then lost a 6-0 decision for first place.
J. Smith went 4-1 in a round robin bracket at 113 to finish second, He had a nine-second pin, and two major decisions among his wins.
B. Smith went 5-1 while placing third at 126. He had two pins among his wins, and won four straight after losing in the quarterfinals.
Lars Sims went 3-1, with all three wins by pin, while taking third at 285. Trejo went 2-2 at 152, and Blach one win at 160. There were extra Yuma wrestlers at some weights. Will Marshall and Zeke Martinez both went 2-2 at 145. Brandon Mendoza went 2-2 at 285. Josh Daugherty got a win at 126. Tyler Allen wrestled at 152, and Maddox Hisam at 126.
