Three Routt County wrestlers reach final day of state tournament
Andy Bockelman/Craig Press
Soroco senior Larhae Whaley was the longest surviving wrestler from Routt County to stay in the winners bracket at the Colorado High School Activities Association Wrestling State Championships at Ball Arena in Denver.
The tournament began Thursday as Whaley opened with a victory by fall over Grace Peck of Mead in 1 minute, 50 seconds.
At 115 pounds, Whaley repeated with a win by fall over Gizelle Marez from Alamosa in 4:53 on Friday morning. She suffered her first loss late Friday night in the semifinal.
In the semifinal, Whaley took the match into overtime where she lost 6-4 by sudden victory to Mia Hargrove of Discovery Canyon. Entering the match, Whaley and Hargrove only had three losses apiece all season. Something had to give.
Whaley’s Soroco teammate, Dash Duksa, lost his opening bout at 190 pounds but managed to take both the first and second consolation matches Friday to advance to Saturday’s matches.
Duksa’s biggest win of the tournament so far came with a pin of Nucla’s Paxtin Caruso in 31 seconds.
Soroco senior Aiden George (138 pounds) suffered an injury in his opening bout and had to forfeit his consolation match as well.
Two Hayden wrestlers managed to reach the state quarterfinals, but neither Ethan Silva (132) nor Triston Day (144) managed to reach the semifinals after losses Friday morning.
Day was the lone Tiger to win his round-two consolation match with a sudden victory over Wylee Lorimor of Cedaredge, 6-4. Day will be back on the mat Saturday morning.
Chase Preston (120), Tommy Weber (190), Logan Silva (175) and Ethan Silva ended their tournaments with losses on Friday.
Following his regional victory last weekend, Steamboat senior Henry Dismuke came to the state tournament with high hopes of making noise in the competition. At 175 pounds, Dismuke lost in his first-round bout 4-1 against Caleb Shirin of The Classical Academy on Thursday.
In a first-round consolation match, Dismuke would fall again, this time by way of a pin in 54 seconds to Denver West’s Alexander Ramos.
Whaley, Duksa and Day will all take the mat at least one more time Saturday, the final day of the tournament.
To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.
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