DENVER – The quarterfinal meat grinder ate up the Ignacio High School wrestling team Friday in Denver.
No Bobcats survived to reach the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 3A State Championship semifinals, ending Ignacio’s chance at a state championship.
Ethan Appeneller, Josh Gallegos, Iaasic Pena and Stocker Robbins all lost early Friday and had to start their journey from the back side.
“We had a rough quarters all across the board,” IHS head coach Cody Haga said. “Up here, anything can happen.”
Robbins, the Bobcats’ returning state finalist, bounced back from a 4-0 loss in the 113-pound quarterfinals with a 13-8 decision over Cameron Wolters from Buena Vista. He took a 6-1 lead after the first period on the strength of two early takedowns.
“(The loss) opened my eyes a little bit,” said Robbins, son of Josh Robbins. “I waited around in the match that I lost.”
Robbins will face Rocky Ford’s Sawyer Soden on Saturday.
Ethan Appenzeller couldn’t escape down 8-7 near the end of his quarterfinal against JD Chenoweth of Baca County at 138 pounds. Appenzeller went down 2-0 in the first period and 6-3 in the second, never finding a lead. He survived to see Saturday by pinning Centauri’s Nabor Qunitana in the consolation second round and will face Holyoke’s Nick Ortner next.
Peña lost in sudden victory in the 152-pound quarterfinals when Rye’s Jake Shaffer took him down to win 6-4. He kept his high school wrestling career alive with a 3-2 win over Kiowa’s Bryce Wasson. Akron’s Tyler Hottinger is up next for Pena.
Gallegos was pinned 1 minute, 10 seconds into his quarterfinal against Rocky Ford’s Greg Garcia. He beat Meeker’s Tyler Illgen 2-1 to make it to Saturday.
“I realized everybody loses. True champions are made on the back side,” said Gallegos, son of Jose and Kristi Gallegos. “Everybody wants it.”
Gallegos will wrestle Dylan Kelly of Ellicott next.
Blaine Mickey was the lone Bobcat to lose in the first round Thursday. He also was the only one to win his first match Friday, pinning Del Norte’s Dillan Salter 53 seconds into the second period. Mickey’s winning ended in the consolation second round when he lost 7-5 in sudden victory to end his season.
Wrestling begins again at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
“At this point you either wrestle up or you roll over and take the loss and walk away from the tournament,” Haga said.
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
IHS: How they fared
Stocker Robbins, So., 113 pounds (34-3): Lost to Quinton Montague, Centauri, 4-0; Beat Cameron Wolters, Buena Vista, 13-8. Next: Sawyer Soden, Rocky Ford (20-11)
Ethan Appenzeller, So., 138 pounds (32-8): Lost to JD Chenoweth, Baca County, 8-7; Pinned Nabor Qunitana, Centauri (2:22). Next: Nick Ortner, Holyoke (28-6)
Iaasic Peña, Sr., 152 pounds (31-5): Lost to jake Shaffer, Rye, 6-4; Beat Bryce Wasson, Kiowa, 3-2. Next: Tyler Hottinger, Akron (33-10)
Blaine Mickey, Sr., 182 pounds (14-11): Pinned Dillan Salter, Del Note (1:53); Lost to Taylor Lewis, Hayden, 7-5. Next: Eliminated.
Josh Gallegos, Sr., 295 pounds (22-5): Pinned by Greg Garcia, Roaring Fork (3:59); Beat Tyler Illgen, Meeker, 2-1. Next: Dylan Kelly, Ellicott (25-6)
