Defending state champions were in the building, and it all came down to one final match.
Durango High School hosted Bloomfield, New Mexico, in the first wrestling dual meet of the season Thursday. Bloomfield, New Mexico’s defending Class 3A state champion, fell behind 12-0 and 18-6 early, but it was a dead-heat to the 14th and final match from there.
Danny Trujillo of Bloomfield earned a big pin victory in the first period against Austin Counts at 138 pounds to give Bloomfield a 36-35 lead going to the final match at 145 pounds.
That’s where Bloomfield’s Jacob Spencer and Durango’s Diego Martinez squared off in a match to decide the team victor. The first round was action-packed, with Martinez shaking off an early slam by Spencer to tie the match 5-5 going to the second period. But the explosive Spencer, who also is one of the nation’s top young bull-riders, was too much for Martinez, as he earned a pin 42 seconds into the second period.
It gave Bloomfield a 42-35 team victory, with both teams giving up 12 points because of forfeits at open weight classes.
Still, it was a big night for the Demons, who won seven matches after winning only three against Bloomfield a season ago.
“I feel good about how we came out and wrestled. The boys have been working hard in the room, and the hard work showed off in the first dual of the season,” DHS head coach John Gurule said.
DHS senior Matthew Lavengood had the biggest match of the night at 120 pounds. He faced defending state champion Levi Whitley, and Lavengood controlled the match to the tune of a 15-2 major decision.
Lavengood may have been able to secure a first-period pin, but time was called as his nose began to bleed. Lavengood slowed in the third period but had enough to take Whitley down at will, and he kept momentum on the ground when Whitley desperately tried to reverse position.
Lavengood didn’t know Whitley was a state champion entering the match.
“I felt really good on my feet and on top, but I need to work on my conditioning. I was gassed a bit in the third,” said Lavengood, son of Steve and Tamra Lavengood. “I felt like I could keep getting points and points, and that’s what I did. I think I could have pinned him.”
DHS scored a few quick pins to start the meet, with Henry Dorr (152) and Cole Gustavson (160) needing less than two minutes to finish their opponents. Bloomfield’s J.D. Robinson (17) stopped the bleeding for the Bobcats with a pin of Fernando Garcia in the first period.
Patrick Cunnion didn’t have a match at 182 pounds, giving the Demons a free six points. DHS returned the favor by handing Lorenzo Lamere a free six points at heavyweight.
Bloomfield secured two consecutive pin victories at 195 and 220 pounds, with Idai Marquez finishing Durango’s Zayne Gillen 32 seconds into the first and Anthony Madrid pinning David Etz Jr. 30 seconds into the opening period.
Durango’s Cameron Jacobs didn’t have a match at 106 pounds, and the six points tied the team score at 24 eight matches into the dual.
DHS then won a few big matches, with Tristan Martinez securing a 9-5 decision against Wendell Rightmire at 113 pounds. Martinez led 5-0 after one period thanks to a takedown and near fall, and he quickly built a 7-2 lead in the third after a scoreless second period.
Lavengood then won his match at 120 pounds, and Hunter Hall secured a big 16-6 major decision against Gage Kreilick at 126 pounds.
Hall continually scored on double- and single-leg takedowns, allowing Kreilick to his feet every time so he could set up another takedown. He took Kreilick down six times in six minutes of action.
“It was a good match and a good first dual for us,” said Hall, son of Laura and Randy Hall. “I liked it, and I think our team has gotten a lot better. We can keep improving all year, and this gave us knowledge of where we are as a team competing with another good team.”
Hall’s points would be the last of the night for DHS, as Trujillo pinned Counts and DHS surrendered six points at the 138-pound weight class with a forfeit.
All Spencer had to do was win the final match to give Bloomfield the win.
“I was kind of disappointed in how we started out,” Spencer said. “We have some young guys in the upper weights and we’re trying to fill some spots. It was good to come through with the win for the team.”
The Demons will travel to Grand Junction, where they will compete in the Mesa Duals on Saturday.
“We’re looking forward to more tough matches and to get more experience against good teams up there,” Gurule said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
