State Wrestling Day One – Class 3A/2A

Seth McFall of Fowler started things off at 106 pounds with a pin, then at 113 pounds Rye’s Michael Atencio added a pin of his own to push his perfect record to 32 and oh on the year, “I’m taking every wrestler into consideration and the record doesn’t matter, I’m just wrestling every match like I would,” says Atencio.

Dillon Jaramillo helped Rocky Ford get off to a good start, he won by 4-0 decision. As did defending state champ Isaiah Gamez. He’s wrestling at 120 pounds this year, more weight and a big stage for the La Junta junior, “Being in this building is big, it’s huge, there’s a lot of stuff going on, a lot of wrestlers. It didn’t hit me all week but I got here and I felt it and I was like oh crap, we’re at the state tournament,” says Gamez.

Jimmy Gonzalez of Pueblo Central did not have an “oh crap” moment but he did don his Bane mask to win by a 3-1 decision at 126 pounds, “I actually got kneed in the eye and had stitches, got them removed the day before regionals and it keeps busting open,” says Gonzalez.

Eye injuries all over the Pepsi Center! John Mall’s Wesley Van Matre got poked in the eye at the start of his match at 138 pounds but he bounced back to win by pin, “He was clubbing hard on purpose but I don’t think he meant to get me in the eye. Tournaments like this there’s a target on my back. I try to look past that and just try to focus,” says Van Matre.