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PREP ROUNDUP: Roaring Fork boys cruise to Weld Central tourney title

Competing at the Delta Duals Saturday in Delta, the Rifle Bears’ wrestling team saw three wrestlers place in the top three of their respective weight classes, while senior Brian De La Rosa won the 160-pound weight class for the Bears, wrapping up a successful day on the mats.

De La Rosa received a bye in the championship round before knocking off Paonia’s Jesse Burns in the quarterfinals by major decision, 13-1. In the semifinals, De La Rosa defeated John Mall’s Nick Griego by technical fall, setting up a first-place match with Cedaredge’s Jered Hulteen. In the championship match, De La Rosa won a close 3-2 decision, claiming first place in the 160-pound weight class.

Along with De La Rosa, Cauy Smith placed third in the 126-pound weight class for the Bears, while Conrad Demann placed third in the 132-pound weight class.



Smith started off the championship round by pinning Coal Ridge’s Lane Plummer in just 16 seconds before then knocking off Stevie Fuentes of Montezuma Cortez (3-0 decision). But in the semifinals, Smith lost to Cedaredge’s Sean Dale by fall at the 1:23 mark of the first period before then bouncing in the consolation semifinals with an 8-2 decision over Paonia’s Zeb Etter.

In the third-place match, Smith rolled to a major decision win (15-5) over Grand Valley’s JT Latham.



Demann started off the championship round with a fall win over John Mall’s AJ Sandoval before then defeating Hotchkiss’s Traycer Hall by decision (4-3). Demann was tripped up in the semifinals by Buena Vista’s Anthony Quintana, but the Rifle product bounced back with a fall win over Basalt’s Henry Vargas and a major decision over Nucla’s Tad Sickels (13-2) to claim third place in the 132-pound weight class.

GRAND VALLEY WRESTLING

AJ Serna and Jonathan Pena turned in strong days for the Grand Valley Cardinals’ wrestling program, claiming second- and third-place in their respective weight classes during a Saturday filled with wrestling at the Delta Duals.

Serna rolled into the championship match of the 120-pound weight class, picking up a fall win over John Mall’s Ricardo Bobian just 28 seconds into the match before then cruising to a major decision win over Hotchkiss’s JD Miller (16-4). In the semifinals, Serna recorded a 10-7 win by decision over Buena Vista’s Owen Berry, but in the championship match, Serna dropped a 3-1 decision in sudden victory to Hotchkiss’s Sergio Campos.

Pena, wrestling in the 145-pound weight class, picked up a win by fall at the 3:34 mark in the opening round against Rifle’s Justin Hamrick before adding a major decision win (14-6) over Delta’s Brendon Starr in the quarterfinals. Pena then lost by fall at the 5:48 mark in the semifinals to Cedaredge’s David Schipmann, but the junior bounced back in the consolation bracket, picking up an 11-4 decision over Buena Vista’s Micah Hertrich to set up the third-place match against Montezuma-Cortez’s Matthew Broughton.

In the third-place match, Pena recorded an 8-6- decision win to clinch third in his weight class at the Delta Duals.

COAL RIDGE WRESTLING

Senior standout Jacx Power continues to put up impressive results on the mat this winter for the Coal Ridge Titans’ wrestling program. At the Delta Duals Saturday, Power romped to a first-place finish in the 195-pound weight class, picking up all three wins by fall on the day.

Power pinned Cedaredge’s Toby Waddell at the 2:33 mark before then pinning Buena Vista’s Patrick Zunich at the 2:44 mark to earn a spot in the championship match. Power then pined Hotchkiss’s Devin Curtis just 1:15 in to win the match, claiming first in the 195-pound weight class.

Along with Power, teammate Kolby Lord placed third in the 160-pound weight class at the duals. Lord pinned Buena Vista’s Jim Gabriel 1:07 into the first-round match before then pinning Meeker’s Jacob Shelton 1:54 into the quarterfinal match. In the semifinals, Lord was dispatched in just 33 seconds by Cedaredge’s Jered Hulteen, but Lord bounced back with a fall win over Paonia’s Jesse Burns and a 5-0 decision win over Shelton to place third in the weight class.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Rifle 54, Far Northeast 39

In the third-place game of the Green Mountain Tournament Saturday at Thompson Valley, the Rifle Bears’ girls basketball team rolled to a 54-39 win over Far Northeast, improving to 4-1 on the season.

Against the Warriors, senior point guard Elly Walters led the way with 17 points, including 11-for-15 from the free throw line. Senior guards Karly and Katy Manupella added 11 points each for Rifle, while junior forward Masi Smith added 12 points.


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