The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate wrestling team placed 10th in a field of 31 teams across three different states at the Warrior Classic tournament held in Grand Junction on Dec. 21.
Three Pirates placed in the tournament, with Laykyn Baxstrom leading the way by taking second place in the 235-pound weight class.
Baxstrom received a first-round bye and then was able to pin her opponent in the quarterfinal match in 43 seconds. She won her semifinal match with a 14-5 major decision, sending her to the first-place match.
Baxstrom lost narrowly in the final match by a decision of 4-3.
Coach Dan Janowsky noted she “lost a very, very close match.”
He added that Baxstrom may only be a sophomore, but he believes she can make a run in the state tournament, mentioning she has been the highest-ranked Pirate for two weeks in a row after claiming second place the week prior in the Bloomfield, N.M., tournament.
“She has the look of someone that can go to state and bring home a medal,” Janowsky said, adding that is what Baxstrom needs to start preparing for.
He added, “She looks to be ready to fight for that spot. She’s worked hard to get there … pretty gratifying to see.”
Madi Stretton and Bella Jackson also placed for the second consecutive week, with both earning fifth in their respective weight class.
“It’s very encouraging,” Janowsky said, explaining the Warrior Classic tournament features lots of higher-division schools, making it a great opportunity to see how they match up, “and they’re right there.”
Stretton competed in the 110-pound weight class and, after losing her opening-round match, Stretton then won her next two matches by a 13-5 major decision and by pinning her opponent in one minute and 55 seconds.
Stretton lost in the consolation semifinal match, sending her to the fifth-place match, where she won by a 16-6 major decision.
Jackson wrestled in the 105-pound weight class and won her opening-round match by pinning her opponent in 4:45.
She then won the quarterfinal match by pinning her opponent in 3:21, sending her to the semifinal match, where she was pinned by her opponent in 50 seconds.
Janowsky mentioned that Jackson lost in a closely battled consolation semifinal match by a decision of 9-8, sending her to the fifth-place match, where she won by a 17-1 technical fall in 2:55.
Janowsky added that the Pirates are pushing toward the top of the pack and that there are a few wrestlers who are “certainly ready to qualify for state and test themselves up there.”
Janowsky commented on the work that the Lady Pirates have put in, noting that he’s seen “tremendous improvement from the beginning of the year.”
He mentioned that the wrestlers are beginning to see what it takes physically and mentally to compete at the higher levels, adding that the task can still seem daunting at times, but the Lady Pirates are starting to adjust.
“You can see it every match,” he said. “They’re getting better all the time.”
Janowsky went on to mention that Aspen Sandoval and Kylie Matyniak “both wrestled really well, too.”
He mentioned that even though Matyniak and Sandoval weren’t able to win as many matches as hoped, they were however able to dominate in certain stretches of matches while making each match competitive.
Janowsky noted that Sandoval and Matyniak are both “closing in on getting their hand raised more often.”
Sandoval wrestled in the 155-pound weight class and lost her opening-round match by pin in 5:07. She then received byes for the next two rounds and lost her last match by getting pinned by her opponent in 1:55.
Matyniak competed in the 140-pound weight class and won her opening-round match by pinning her opponent in 1:17. She then lost her next two matches, getting pinned by her opponents in 54 seconds and then in 2:57.
MacKayla Beach competed in the 115-pound weight class. After receiving an opening-round bye, Beach lost her second-round match by pin in 54 seconds. She then received a third-round bye and went on to lose her fourth match by pin in 24 seconds.
Dalton Hoover wrestled in the 125-pound weight class and lost her opening-round match by pin in 3:38. She then received a second-round bye and went on to lose her third-round match by pin in 21 seconds.
Audriana Smith competed in the 135-pound weight class and received an opening-round bye. She then lost her next two matches by getting pinned by her opponents in 45 seconds and then 1:23.
Janowsky mentioned there is a “good energy” and “good spirit” on the Lady Pirates’ team this year, adding that it was great to see the girls’ team live in action this week.
He explained how he is not always able to see both the boys’ and girls’ teams compete live each week and there is definitely an advantage to being able to provide immediate feedback and coach the wrestlers through the later rounds.
“That’s going to be very helpful to me as a coach,” he added.
The Lady Pirates will not be back in action until after the new year starts, when they’ll travel to Edwards to compete in the Queens of the Mountain tournament at Battle Mountain High School on Jan. 18, 2025.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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