RIFLE, Colorado — John Wisniewski has countless fond memories from his high school athletics heyday. No moment was more memorable for the present-day Rifle wrestling coach than a football game against a rival school.

“We were playing the team across the creek — Green River,” said Wisniewski, who attended Rock Springs High School in Wyoming. “We had these orange jerseys with black pants. We looked like pumpkins. Coach called us into the locker room and gave us new black jerseys, so we were wearing all black. We came out to AC/DC's ‘Back in Black.' The energy was just incredible.”

Wisniewski relayed that story to his Rifle wrestlers in advance of Thursday's dual against visiting Glenwood Springs. Given that it was the Bears' final home match of 2011-12 and that they were wrestling a rival, it was a fitting tale to pass along.

“Tonight being senior night, it's about building memories,” Wisniewski said. “I told them tonight has to be memorable, especially for the seniors. Everyone else has to step up and make it memorable for the seniors.”

It's highly likely Wisniewski's squad collected more than a few precious memories on Thursday. After honoring seniors Brandon Kittle, Frank Rivas, A.J. Cordova and Saul Cerros during a pregame ceremony, Rifle's wrestlers went on to knock off the Demons, 41-29.

Three of those four seniors picked up victories on Thursday.

Kittle edged Arturo De La Cruz, 4-3, in the night's 138-pound match. Cordova pinned Conlan Fullenwider in 3 minutes, 1 second at 170 pounds and Cerros pinned Collin Schreiber in just 45 seconds at 220 pounds.

Elsewhere in the lineup, Rifle picked up wins from Isaac Rider (120 pounds), Coy Zang (132), Hugo Ruelas (145), Tony Galaviz (160) and Clayton Coombs (195). Rider and Coombs both won by pin and Zang by technical fall.

After falling behind early in the dual, Glenwood rallied to make it interesting. The Demons pulled to within 35-26 at one point. They had trailed 23-3.

Alex Cohen (106), Zak Stepniewski (113), Mike Mills (126), Cristian Gonzalez (152), Erick Madrid (182) and Brian Ochoa (285) accounted for Glenwood's wins.

Stepniewski won by technical fall. Madrid and Ochoa both won by pin.

Mills won an intense, back-and-forth match over Dallas Rohrig, scoring two points late to escape with a 5-4 decision.

“I'm proud of the kids that went out on the mat,” Demons coach Guy Brickell said. “We had a lot of inexperienced kids that stepped out there. They went out there and scrapped.”

Up next for Brickell's Demons is a trip to Eaton for a tournament this weekend. The snowy weather forecast for the coming days could affect those plans, though.

Rifle will travel to Grand Valley for Saturday's 3A Western Slope League duals.

Regional tournaments, at which berths to the Feb. 16-18 state tournament are earned, are on the following weekend's schedule for the Class 3A Bears and the 4A Demons.

“You know, regionals is so dog-gone tough, with 19 teams there,” Brickell said. “But we've got some kids that could go to state if they've got their head on straight.”

Same goes for the Bears.

“Most of us are wrestling pretty good,” Cordova said. “I think we've stepped it up a little. We have some guys that should go to state.”

jcaspersen@postindependent.com