The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate wrestling team won its first tournament of the season on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Del Norte at the Rio Grande Women’s Showdown.
The Lady Pirates took first out of seven teams with a team score of 72.5. West Grand took second place with a team score of 59.5.
Coach Dan Janowsky explained that the Rio Grande Women’s Showdown is still a young tournament, noting how it can be difficult for the Lady Pirates to gauge where they sit among their regional competitors with Pagosa being “kind of isolated.”
He explained that being in the southwest corner of the state makes it difficult for the Lady Pirates to compete against teams in other areas of the state.
Janowsky also spoke about how the Pagosa Springs High School girls’ wrestling team got a somewhat late start and was “one of the later ones” to get involved in the sport.
“We got a late start,” he said, noting that the team’s success in competition this year “shows a rapid growth on our part that’s caught us up.”
He added that the boys’ wrestling team has a “great reputation” around the state and that the girls’ team is extending that reputation.
“We’re building the sport, and I think we’re helping build the sport,” Janowsky said of high school girls’ wrestling in Colorado.
Three Lady Pirates earned first place in their respective weight class at the Rio Grande Women’s Showdown, which included Madisen Stretton in the 105-pound weight class, Kylie Matyniak in the 130-pound weight class and Laykyn Baxstrom in the 190-pound weight class.
Stretton won her opening-round match by a 13-0 major decision. She then pinned her opponent in the second round in three minutes and 52 seconds.
Stretton then won her third-round match by a decision of 7-5 to claim first place.
Matyniak also won all three of her matches on the day to claim first place.
Matyniak pinned her opponent in the first round in 21 seconds and then won on a 15-0 technical fall in 1:19 in her second-round match. She then defeated her opponent in the third-round by a decision of 6-4 to secure first place.
Audriana Smith also competed in the 130-pound weight class, winning two of three matches on the day to claim third place in the weight class.
Smith lost her opening-round match after being pinned by her opponent in 58 seconds. Smith and Matyniak faced off against each other in the second round, with Matyniak winning on a 15-0 technical fall in 1:19. Smith then won her third-round match by pin in 41 seconds.
Baxstrom pinned her opponent in the opening round in 1:41 and won her second-round match due to opponent forfeit.
Bella Jackson and Katie Lucero both competed in the 100-pound weight class, with Jackson earning second place.
Jackson received a first-round bye and then defeated her opponent in the second round by a decision of 12-11. Jackson lost the first-place match after being pinned in 4:22.
Lucero lost her opening-round match by getting pinned by her opponent in 17 seconds. She then received a second-round bye and was pinned by her opponent in the third round in 3:08.
MacKayla Beach wrestled in the 110-pound weight class, winning one of three matches on the day to take third place.
Beach lost her opening-round match by pin in 2:43. She then won her second-round match by pinning her opponent in 4:15.
Beach lost her third and final match of the day by getting pinned by her opponent in 33 seconds.
“I know we have improved immensely,” Janowsky said of the Lady Pirates, noting that the three first-place finishers from the Rio Grande Women’s Showdown are all sophomores with multiple years of wrestling experience that began at the middle school level.
“They’re picking it up,” he added.
He also commented that the Lady Pirates are “eager” and “confident” with their wrestling lately, which he noted are “crucial” attributes to have.
“They feel good about what they’ve put in, and they feel good about where they are,” he said.
The Lady Pirates will travel to Gunnison this weekend to compete in the regional tournament on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8.
Matches are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“We’re wrestling better all the time,” Janowsky said.
clayton@pagosasun.com
