Featuring wrestlers from more than 40 high schools, the Warrior Classic wrestling tournament in Grand Junction ranks among the most competitive regular season tournaments in the Southwest.
Thus, when members of the Montezuma-Cortez High School wrestling team combined to win 14 matches at the tournament on Dec. 14-15, those associated with the Panthers program could not help but be pleased.
Leading the way for M-CHS was 152-pound Matthew Broughton, who won five of his six matches and finished third overall. The senior pinned his first two opponents and eventually advanced to the semifinals, where he lost to Pueblo Centennial’s Cole Hernandez. Broughton rebounded however, and eventually won his division’s third-place match over Green River’s Tanner Adams.
Also wrestling impressively for M-CHS was Anthony Abeta, who finished 3-2 overall in the 138-pound division and earned three pin victories. Kael Buffington finished 2-2 overall in the 106-pound division and improved his overall record to 16-4.
Other wrestlers registering wins for M-CHS included 132-pounder Shawn Higgins, 145-pounder Ethan Root, 182-pounder Swayde Noyes and 195-pounder Kerwin Tom.
Devan Frost, Casen Allmon, Austin Featherman and Jayven Valdez, also competed, and although the quartet of M-CHS wrestlers failed to win a match, all four gained valuable experience.
M-CHS finished 21st out of the 40 total teams that scored points. Grand Junction High School finished first, and Rocky Mountain High School and Grand Junction Central High School rounded out the Top 3.
Next up for the Panthers will be a dual match against Monticello on Dec. 19.
