The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate wrestling team had four grapplers qualify for the state tournament at the regional tournament held in Parachute on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8.
The Pirates had a total of nine wrestlers place in the regional tournament, earning 11.5 team points to place seventh out of 13 competing teams.
“As a team I think that was our best tournament,” coach Dan Janowsky said, noting the team has been hindered by injuries throughout the season and struggling to field a consistent complete lineup. “That was our best performance as a team.”
Colton Lucero placed the highest for the Pirates, taking first in the 144-pound weight class and qualifying for state.
Janowsky explained that Lucero dropped down from the 150-pound weight class, noting that decision was made about a month ago.
Janowsky specifically noted that Lucero’s performance in the championship match in the regional tournament “showed how far he’s come,” noting that Lucero struggled with a knee injury mid-season.
“That’s the best he’s wrestled in a very long time,” Janowsky said, highlighting Lucero was confident, explosive and savvy — “all the things you need to win regionals and place at state.”
Lucero won his opening-round match after pinning his opponent in 22 seconds, sending him to the quarterfinals, where he defeated his opponent by a decision of 8-2. He then won his semifinal match on a technical fall in 4 minutes and 23 seconds.
Lucero won his first-place match by a decision of 13-6.
Anthony Manzanares earned second place in the 106-pound weight class, also qualifying for state.
Manzanares received an opening-round bye, sending him to the quarterfinals, where he pinned his opponent in 1:51. He then defeated his opponent in the semifinals by a 13-0 major decision.
Janowsky explained that Manzanares’ opponent in the first-place match was one that he has faced before from Centauri and is the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the state for that weight class.
Although Manzanares lost the first-place match by pin in 4:30, “we did make some real good adjustments and started scoring some points,” Janowsky said, adding that “[we’ll] take that as a sign we’re improving.”
Janowsky added that Manzanares may have another opportunity against the same opponent in the state finals.
Taylor Hancey and Antonio Quezada both placed third in their respective weight classes, both qualifying for the state tournament.
Hancey competed in the 165-pound weight class and won his opening-round match in the quarterfinals by pinning his opponent in 1:13.
He then lost in the semifinals by getting pinned in 1:50, sending him to the consolation semifinal match, where he defeated his opponent by a technical fall in 1:19. Hancey won his third-place match on a technical fall in 4:32.
Quezada wrestled in the 285-pound weight class and received an opening-round bye, sending him to the semifinals, where he was pinned in 1:09.
Quezada then received a third-round bye, sending him to the third-place match in which he pinned his opponent in 1:21.
“They both wrestled real well,” Janowsky said of Quezada and Hancey.
He mentioned that Hancey was out of the Pirates’ lineup periodically throughout the season.
“It set our team back,” Janowsky said, “so it was nice to have him back in there.”
With Lucero dropping down to the 144-pound weight class, the Pirates’ shifted their lineup slightly, with Vinny Fish competing in the 150-pound weight class, up from his usual division in the 138-pound weight class, Janowsky explained.
“He did well,” Janowsky said of Fish, explaining that Fish has a “good JV record,” but only one varsity win going into the regional tournament.
Fish won two matches in the tournament to earn sixth place in the 150-pound weight class. He lost his opening-round match by pin in 1:10 and received a second-round bye.
Fish then defeated his opponent in the third round on a 3-1 decision, and pinned his next opponent in 3:31, sending him to the consolation semifinals, where he lost to his opponent by a decision of 9-3. Fish then lost the fifth-place match by technical fall in 3:22.
Stetson Osborn competed in the 132-pound weight class and received an opening-round bye. Osborn then lost his quarterfinal match by getting pinned in 43 seconds, sending him to the consolation bracket. Osborn won his next two matches by pinning his opponent in 4:45 and by a technical fall in 4:23, respectively.
Osborn lost his consolation semifinal round match by pin in 3:52, sending him to the fifth-place match, where was pinned in 33 seconds, claiming sixth place.
Eric Smith wrestled in the 120-pound weight class and earned sixth place. Smith received an opening-round bye and was then pinned in the quarterfinal match in 1:04.
Smith then received another bye, sending him to the third round of the consolation bracket, where he defeated his opponent by a technical fall in 2:19 to advance to consolation semifinals, where was pinned in 4:33.
Smith then lost his fifth-place match by a decision of 12-6.
Ty Garcia competed in the 175-pound weight class, also claiming sixth place in the tournament.
Garcia lost his opening-round match by getting pinned in 29 seconds, then received a second-round bye to send him to the consolation semifinals. Garcia was then pinned in 2:43, and pinned again in the fifth-place match in 1:50.
Jesus Serratos wrestled in the 215-pound weight class, winning one of four matches to place sixth.
Serratos lost his opening-round match by pin in 5:31 and then defeated his opponent in the following round by a decision of 8-2. He lost the consolation semifinal match 5-1 in overtime, sending him to the fifth-place match, where he was pinned in 1:40.
“They needed one more round,” Janowsky said of the Pirates who placed but did not qualify for the state tournament.
“They wrestled the best they’ve wrestled all year,” he added, noting that the entire team put in some of their best performances all season.
Jonathan Baker competed in the 126-pound weight class and lost his opening-round match by technical fall in four minutes. Baker then received a second-round bye, sending him to the second round of the consolation bracket, where he defeated his opponent on a 10-3 decision. Baker then lost the following match by a decision of 3-1.
Hudson Mazur competed in the 138-pound weight class, losing his opening-round match by a decision of 17-11.
Mazur received a second-round bye and pinned his opponent in the following round in 1:48. He then lost the next match by technical fall in 3:24.
Devin Gonzalez wrestled in the 157-pound weight class and was pinned in his opening-round match in 1:13.
Gonzalez then received a second-round bye and lost the following match by technical fall in five minutes.
“We certainly laid a good foundation,” Janowsky said, explaining he anticipates multiple wrestlers returning next season with an eagerness to come back and compete having another year of experience.
Samuel Kelly also qualified for the state tournament in the Unified division and will be joining the Pirates in Denver.
“He wins points and positions,” Janowsky said of Kelly. “He’ll show his skills out there.”
The state tournament is scheduled to begin today, Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Ball Arena in Denver.
All state-qualifying wrestlers will compete in session one beginning at noon today, and in session three starting at 8:30 a.m. Friday. Wrestlers who advance will compete in session four starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and possibly Saturday at 9 a.m. Final matches are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
