The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate wrestling team opened its season last weekend, competing in the Girls’ Wolverine Classic at Bayfield High School on Saturday, Dec. 7.
The Lady Pirates were originally scheduled to travel to Farmington, N.M., to compete in a tournament, but due to last-minute scheduling changes, the Lady Pirates ended up competing in the Wolverine Classic, coach Dan Janowsky explained in an interview.
In an email to The SUN, Janowsky notes that the team has doubled its roster compared to last year and now has 10 wrestlers on the varsity squad.
Janowsky also notes that the Lady Pirates finished fourth out of eight teams at the tournament.
Laykyn Baxstrom took first place in her respective weight class for the Lady Pirates, as did freshman Bella Jackson.
Baxstrom won both of her matches by decisions of 13-6 and 6-0.
Jackson lost her opening match by a decision of 9-6, but bounced back in her second round match, pinning her opponent after 55 seconds. She then pinned her next opponent after three minutes and 33 seconds.
Janowsky also notes that Kylie Matyniak placed second in her weight class, with Maddie Stretton and Aspen Salazar finished third in their respective weight classes.
Matyniak was able to pin her first three opponents before losing by a technical fall score of 18-2 in 3:21. She then lost her fifth-round match by getting pinned by her opponent in 3:37.
Stretton won her opening match by pinning her opponent in 3:52 and lost her second-round match by pin in 1:31.
Stretton bounced back to win her third-round match, pinning her opponent in 1:13 and won the third place match with a 12-0 major decision.
Audriana Smith finished fourth in her weight class, Janowsky notes, and Katie Lucero and Dalton Hoover finished in sixth place.
Smith received a first-round bye and then won her second round match by pinning her opponent in 53 seconds. She was then pinned by her opponent in her final three matches.
Lucero was victorious in one of her five matches, pinning her opponent in the fifth round in 3:34.
Hoover won her opening match with a 13-12 decision and was then pinned by her opponent in the following round.
Hoover pinned her third opponent in 3:52 and was defeated in her last match by a technical fall score of 15-0 in 1:56.
Janowsky also notes that Makayla Beach did not place, “but picked up valuable experience and her effort matched anyone in the field.”
In a later interview, Janowsky commented that, like the boys’ team, the Lady Pirates are working to get better on their feet to be able to execute more takedowns and earn more points.
Janowsky also spoke about how each wrestler has shown improvement compared to last season.
“And I really feel that way about all our kids, that whether they won or lost, they’ve gotten better, and we just gotta stay on that path,” Janowsky said.
He also commented on Baxstrom’s performance in the tournament, noting that she had a good outing and wrestled well against opponents that she went “back and forth” with last year.
“She’s widening the gap a little just showing … the types of improvements that we’re all working on,” Janowsky said.
The Lady Pirates will be back in action this weekend as they head to Bloomfield, N.M., to compete in a tournament being held at Bloomfield High School. Matches are set to begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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