The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate grapplers will head to Bayfield this Saturday, Dec. 6, with both the Pirates and Lady Pirates competing in the Wolverine Classic.
Fifteen teams from two states will be competing on the girls’ side, while 14 teams from three states will be competing on the boys’ side.
Coach Dan Janowsky explained that both the Pirates and Lady Pirates have big squads this year, with 43 on the boys’ team and 14 on the girls’ team’.
“That’s a lot,” he said, noting that it may be difficult to hold those numbers throughout the entire season.
But, he noted, it provides each squad with some depth.
“And there’s a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “I love it that kids want to wrestle.”
Janowsky commented that wrestling is a tough and demanding sport, “so I think it says a lot about a lot of our kids in our high school.”
Janowsky also noted that the majority of wrestlers on each squad have wrestled for Pagosa Springs before.
“They’re good kids and they want to learn how to wrestle,” he added, explaining the Pirates invest a lot in their junior varsity programs to “really coach them up.”
Janowsky mentioned that there are a total of six coaches involved with this year’s squads.
“Our coaches have been very, very busy in the practice room,” he said, explaining that having multiple coaches available helps with developing a big roster.
He noted that the Pirates “had a couple of really good weeks” of practice, even over the Thanksgiving break.
“And I think we made a lot of strides,” he said, indicating the squads are ready for the season to begin. “We’re anxious to get it started.”
Colton Lucero is the only returning state finalist for the boys’ squad, Janowsky explained, noting that Lucero will likely compete in the 150-pound or 157-pound weight class in his senior year.
Janowsky also noted that a number of Pirates came close to qualifying for state last year by placing at regionals, but not high enough to earn a trip to the state tournament, noting most of them are back as juniors for this season.
“They’re really hungry,” he said, explaining that he can tell they have invested in getting better over the past year.
Janowsky also explained that the Lady Pirates were able to add a couple more events to their schedule this season, highlighting that girls’ wrestling is “a growing sport.”
“We’re very, very pleased with their schedule,” he said.
The Lady Pirates have nine events scheduled for this season, compared to the seven events they competed in during the 2024-2025 season.
Janowsky highlighted Laykyn Baxstrom returning for her junior year after being the Lady Pirates first-ever state medalist last year, when she took fourth place in the 190-pound weight class at the state tournament.
He noted that two other juniors, Madisen Stretton and Kylie Matyniak, also qualified for the state tournament last year, along with sophomore Bella Jackson.
The Lady Pirates’ squad also includes a few new freshmen, Janowsky noted.
“There’s some promise in there, for sure,” he said, explaining that the underclassmen have the potential to develop into quality wrestlers if given the right amount of time.
Heading into the Wolverine Classic this weekend, Janowsky explained that he wants to see both the boys’ and girls’ squads being aggressive and going after points.
“We want to see aggressive wrestling,” he said, explaining that he is particularly looking for the wrestlers to score points with takedowns.
Janowsky commented that wrestling can be complicated, with multiple scoring positions needed to get familiar with.
“And we’ve been trying to do that,” he said, noting that the first few weeks of the season are generally about getting “reacquainted with wrestling,” but he mainly wants the Pirates “to go after points.”
“I think we’ve worked well at getting them familiar with the different positions they’re gonna be wrestling in,” he said, noting that after this weekend the squads will have a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses.
Both the Pirates and Lady Pirates will compete in three tournaments before heading into the two-week-long winter break.
Janowsky described this portion of the schedule as a “miniseason,” indicating he wants the Pirates to peak in that last meet before break and have a solid foundation to build on for the remainder of the season.
“It is fun to get everybody out there on the mat and just to see where we’re at,” Janowsky said, noting that competing is the best part about wrestling.
Schedules
The following schedules were accurate as of press time Wednesday, but are subject to change.
Lady Pirates
The girls’ wrestling team will open its season this Saturday, Dec. 6, alongside the boys as both teams travel to Bayfield for the Wolverine Classic, with matches slated to begin at 9 a.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, the Lady Pirates will head to Salida to compete in the Rob Mikel Invite. Matches are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
The Lady Pirates will then compete in the Warrior Classic on Dec. 20 at Central Grand Junction High School, with matches scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
After the new year, the Lady Pirates will resume action, hosting the Rocky Mountain Invite at Pagosa Springs High School with matches slated to begin at noon.
The Pirates will hit the road again the following week, competing in the Queens of the Mountain tournament at Battle Mountain High School in Edwards on Jan. 17, 2026. Matches are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
The Lady Pirates will then host a dual against the Bayfield Wolverines for their senior night on Jan. 22, 2026, with matches slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.
On Jan. 24, 2026, the Lady Pirates will travel to Ignacio to participate in the Four Corners Girls Invite. Matches are scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m.
On Jan. 29, 2026, the Lady Pirates will compete in a dual against the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers in Cortez, with matches set to begin at 5:30 p.m.
The last regular-season tournament for the Lady Pirates is set for Feb. 6, 2026, with the team competing in the Walsenburg Tourney. Matches are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.
Pirates
The Pirate boys’ wrestling team will open its season this Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Wolverine Classic in Bayfield, with matches set to start at 9 a.m.
On Saturday, Dec. 13, the Pirates will participate in the Columbine Tournament at Columbine High School, with matches set to begin at 8 a.m.
On Dec. 19 and 20, the Pirates will compete in the Warrior Classic at Central Grand Junction High School, with matches set to start at noon on Dec. 19 and 9 a.m. on Dec. 20.
After the new year, the Pirates will host the Rocky Mountain Duals on Jan. 9, 2026, at Pagosa Springs High School, with matches slated to begin at 5 p.m.
The following day on Jan. 10, 2026, the Pirates will host the Rocky Mountain invite. Matches are set to start at 9 a.m.
The Pirates will then travel to Aztec, N.M., to compete in the Clash at the Coliseum tournament on Jan. 16 and 17, 2026. Matches are set to begin at 9 a.m. both days.
On Jan. 22, 2026, the Pirates will host a dual against Bayfield for their senior night. Matches are set to begin at 6 p.m.
On Jan. 24, 2026, the Pirates will participate in the Randy and Naomi Keyes Dual Tournament at Centauri High School in La Jara, with matches set to start at 9 a.m.
The Pirates will then travel to Cortez to take on the Montezuma-Cortez Panthers in a dual on Jan. 29, 2026, with matches set to start at 6 p.m.
On Jan. 30 and 31, 2026, the Pirates will compete in the Valley Classic at Center High School, with matches set to start at 10 a.m. and 9 a.m., respectively
On Feb. 5 and 7, 2026, the Pirates are scheduled to compete in the Intermountain League Crossover event at Delta High School. Matches are set to begin at 6 p.m. on Feb. 5 and 8 a.m. on Feb. 7.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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