The Pagosa Springs High School Lady Pirate wrestling team earned second place in the Queens of the Mountain tournament held in Edwards at Battle Mountain High School on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The Lady Pirates earned a total of 98 team points to claim second place in the tournament, with West Grand taking first place with a total team score of 114.
The Lady Pirates had three first-place finishers with Bella Jackson in the 100-pound weight class, Kylie Matyinak in the 130-pound weight class and Laykyn Baxstrom in the 235-pound weight class.
Janowsky indicated that this was the first championship for both Matyniak and Jackson, commenting that it “shows where we’re going.”
Jackson won her first four matches, pinning each opponent. She pinned her first opponent in one minute and seven seconds, her second opponent in 44 seconds, her third opponent in 1:11 and her fourth opponent in 1:40.
Jackson won her first-place match by 12-4 major decision, earning a total of 25 team points on the day.
Janowsky commented that Jackson “knows how to compete” and is a “good learner.”
He added that Jackson “[does] the things you gotta do,” and fights for positions and points in every match.
Matyniak won her first-round match by pinning her opponent in 5:33. She then pinned her next two opponents in 1:51, and 3:47, earning a total of 20 team points on the day.
Madisen Stretton took second place in the 110-pound weight class, earning a total of 14 team points on the day.
Stretton won her opening-round match by pinning her opponent in 5:17. She then won the following match by a decision of 7-0, which sent her to the championship round, where she was pinned in 1:17.
Janowsky explained that the Lady Pirates picked this tournament to compete in because of the number of regional opponents.
“It was very encouraging to see where we were, how we stacked up against a lot of those,” he added.
Baxstrom claimed first place in the 235-pound weight class due to forfeit as there were no other wrestlers in that division, Janowsky explained.
“We know she’s in that area anyway,” Janowsky said of Baxstrom.
MacKayla Beach competed in the 105-pound weight class, losing three matches on the day, but still earning a total of seven team points.
Beach was pinned in her first match in 54 seconds, lost her second match by 17-2 technical fall and was pinned by her third opponent in 1:15.
Audriana Smith wrestled in the 135-pound weight class, also losing three matches and earning seven team points on the day.
Smith was pinned by her first opponent in 21 seconds, pinned by her second opponent in 2:54 and pinned by her third opponent in 2:26.
Aspen Salazar competed in the 145-pound weight class, losing two matches and earning nine team points on the day.
Salazar was pinned in her opening-round match in 3:19 and was pinned in her second-round match in 1:33.
Upcoming schedule
This Friday, Jan. 24, the Lady Pirates will join the Pirate boys’ wrestling team in a dual against Bayfield in Bayfield. Matches are set to begin at 5 p.m.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, the Lady Pirates will travel to Ignacio to compete in the Butch Melton Invitational tournament, with matches set to begin at 9 a.m.
The Lady Pirates will wrestle at home for the first time in history next Tuesday, Jan. 28, in a dual against Montezuma-Cortez alongside the Pirate boys’ wrestling team. Matches are set to begin at 5 p.m.
“Fans will be able to see the girls at home for the first time,” Janowsky said, noting, “It’s pretty cool.”
Janowsky added that the Lady Pirates are excited and “they feel the improvements that they’re making.”
He noted that the team has lost some of the early-season apprehensions it had and now, “they’re going after it, going after wins.”
clayton@pagosasun.com
