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Colorado High School 2021 - 2022 Preseason Girls Ranking

Welcome to the 2021 Pre-Season Rankings by On the Mat with lead for girls by Tom Blair of Inside Colorado Wrestling (note: Boys rankings will be sent tomorrow night). We are excited to bring these to you prior to the start of what we hope will be a return to the mats for all schools from the condensed season in 2021. We are excited to get the ball rolling with the annual kickoff rankings.

Last year was a real struggle for me to manage both girls and boys rankings around the 70 hours of work that I keep in my real day job at USA Triathlon. I work the data around 35 hours a week…since I enter every result by hand. That allows me to know every kid but entering 1600 matches does come at a cost. But, my long time media peer has been on top of the girl’s performances for several years and will do a great job.

If you reach back to Tom on rankings, please cc me since I do want to stay on top of the details around the girls. This is also a test to see how well Tom and I can manage our schedules by working together. We will do rankings for girls every other week….just so you know…

Tom also wanted you to all know... that InsideCoWrestling is presenting, with sponsor Cliff Keen Athletics, the Colorado High School "Wrestler of the Week" for both Boys and Girls again this season. This is the 6th high school wrestling season that this award has been presented by InsideCoWrestling. With this being the 4th season Cliff Keen Athletics has been the sponsor. Along with this being the 2nd season for both the boys and girls being awarded / honored.

Be on the lookout for boys rankings tomorrow... Tim Yount "On the Mat"

Nothern Colorado Duals

By Tom Blair, ICW Staff

Northern Colorado wrestling team started the season with a home quad meet instead of the usually home individual tournament. The invited teams of Northwest Kansas Technical College, North Idaho, Doane University and Big 12 conference foe Utah Valley. Northern Colorado would also send 7 wrestlers to the Colorado School of Mines Open individual tournament in Golden.

Among the visiting teams were several former Colorado high school grads - Jett Strickenberger, NIC /(Ponderosa), Cael Jordan, Doaane / (Eaton), Jayden Woodruff, Utah Valley / (Ponderosa), Jaxon Garoutte, Utah Valley/ (Pueblo County)

Northern Colorado would start their duals against Northwest Kansas Technical College which only brought three wrestlers due to team illness (covid19). The matches wrestled were a 2 to 1 advance for Northern Colorado with the other 7 weight classes being forfeits. The final score Northern Colorado 54 Northwest Kansas Technical College 4.

165: Nick Knutson (UNCO) over Richie Lee (NKTC) (TF 16-0 2:04)

174: Jameel Cole (NKTC) over Damen Pape (UNCO) (MD 12-3)

197: Alan Clothier (UNCO) over Davis Lee (NKTC) (TF 16-0 3:09)

The second dual would have a full lineup by both teams with Northern Colorado taking charge right off on the first match and kept the ball rolling with seven victories in a row. North Idaho would take a sudden victory win at 184 lbs by Devin Winston over Xaiver Vasquez 3 – 1. Northern Colorado would finish the dual with winning the next two matches for a 46 – 3 win.

Sponsorship Opportunities with InsideCoWrestling

InsideCoWrestling is proud to announce that the Boys and Girls “Wrestler of the Week” will again be sponsored by Cliff Keen Athletic with a custom gear bag given to each of the Wrestler of the Week.

InsideCoWrestling has been around for over seven years giving the Colorado wrestling community the coverage it deserves at the youth, high school, college and international levels. With the coverage of Colorado wrestlers doing what they enjoy the most, competition on the mat and challenging themselves to their limits.

With all this it is time that we must ask the Colorado wrestling community to step forward with much needed sponsorship of InsideCoWrestling. The website has ad spots open and waiting for your business to step into the world of wrestling. Listed below are new sponsorship opportunities that could use your attention

The all-volunteer staff from the start and continuing, have had many changes – starting with a website, then adding a Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube podcasts. Logo redesigns and a slight name change has streamline InsideCoWrestling.

Super 32 Results - Colorado

by Tom Blair, ICW

The Super 32 Challenge Tournament was held this weekend in Greensboro, NC. Colorado sent wrestlers in each of the five divisions with a total of 53 wrestlers. The wrestlers from Colorado took the challenge of wrestling some of the best wrestlers in the country with the high school division always the top show with many brackets having 128 or more wrestlers. Colorado would end the tournament with a total of 5 place winners including two 1st placers / belt winners. Earning first place were 8 & Under 55 lbs – Urijah Gomez going 5 – 0 and Girls High School division 130 lbs – Savannah Cosme going 5 – 0. Placing 6th in the 11 & Under Rocco Palilian going 3 – 3 in the 60 lbs weight class. In the Middle School division at 105 lbs – Derek Barrows went 5 – 2 to earn 8th place. Matthew Moore of Mesa Ridge HS went 5 – 2 to earn 5th place in the Boys High School division.

Senior World Championships

By Tom Blair, ICW

Day 1

Results saw three members of Team USA in the championship finals in their bracket. While Team USA leads in the team race with 60 points, the lead which is 30 points over Russia, Georgia and Iran. In the finals for Team USA are Daton Fix at 61 kg faces off against Abasgadzhi Magomedov of the Russian Wrestling Federation, Kyle Dake, at 74 kg will square off against Tajmuraz Salkazanov of Slovakia and David Taylor finals match is against Hassan Yazdani Charati of Iran. At 125 kg Nick Gwiazdowski win his first match over Amarveer Dhesi (Canada) by a 8-3 decision, then loss to Amir Hossein Abbas Zare (Iran), 10-0, 1:49. Nick was pulled back into Repechage and will wrestle against Dzianis Khramiankou (Belarus).

Colorado Mesa Women's Head Wrestling Coach Travis Mercado

InsideCoWrestling staff member - Tom Blair interviewed Colorado Mesa Women's Head Wrestling Coach Travis Mercado at the fundraiser held October 9th in Grand Junction at the university. Mercado in his 4th season at the helm of the women's program. He is the only head coach Mesa women's program has had in it's short career of offering women's wrestling. Mercado a native of California has adjusted to Colorado. click on link to view video interview: https://youtu.be/pmW0z_q_76Q

Colorado Mesa Men's Wrestling Head Coach Chuck Pipher

InsideCoWrestling sat down with Head Men's Wrestling Coach at Colorado Mesa Chuck Pipher at the Steak & Crab Fundraiser. Coach Pipher is in his 15th year as head coach at Mesa and is a member of the over 30 years coaching club. Pipher is driven to get he best from his wrestling team of around 40 wrestlers. Mesa has competition within the state with 4 colleges in the RMAC. Looking into the future you could see Pipher take on the roll of a retired coach. check out the video by clicking on the link : https://youtu.be/GUxeXnvocbA

Boundary 2 Boundary - Colorado High School Wrestling/ Javier Cruz Quintana, Eaglecrest

Episode #89 of Boundary 2 Boundary - Colorado High School Wrestling is with Head Wrestling Coach Javier Cruz Quintana of Eaglecrest. Coach Q as he is known by his wrestlers and around the state is a Adams City alumni and former wrestler. He started his competitive wrestling career at a young and has not stop being around the sport. With his strong coaching staff of coach Vialpando and coach Meyers the staff is looking to bring the team back to form before covid19 hit. Click on link to view the video interview: https://youtu.be/S--a0iUee4A

Legends of Colorado Wrestling - Jon Penfold

Legends of Colorado Wrestling is an interview series with personalities from around Colorado that stand out when you talk about the sport. When you talk about Wiggins High School wrestling the one name that is the common thread is Jon Penfold, former coach of Wiggins HS. His long time involvement (over 30 years) with the school as a wrestling coach and a teacher talks volume about his character and love for the sport.

Colorado is represented at Senior World Wrestling Championships with 5 wrestlers

By Tom Blair, ICW Staff

The 30 member USA Wrestling Senior Team is traveling to Oslo, Norway for the World Senior Championship which are being held October 2 – 10, 2021. Wrestlers in the three divisions – Men’s Freestyle, Men’s Greco-Roman and Women’s Freestyle have 10 members each on this experienced and talented team. The USA Wrestling squads are ready to do battle on the mats against the world’s best. The World Championship is a little different then the resent Olympics as it has 10 weight classes in each division compared to the six in each division at the Olympics. The competition will be held at Jordal Amfi in Oslo, Norway. The event starts with men’s freestyle competition October 2-5, women’s freestyle action October 4-7 and Greco-Roman wrestling October 7-10.

Colorado will be well represented in that it has 2 members on the women’s team and 2 members on the Greco-Roman team. Plus, a wrestler in the freestyle division on the Israel national team.