Dolores Huerta Prep wrestling takes third at regionals, sends six to state as Rye sends two

Mar. 7—From the start of the season, the Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School wrestling team had a goal of winning a team regional title.

Aiding the pursuit of goal was a late switch to have the Scorpions host the Class 2A Region 2 tournament, which took place Friday with weights 106-145 and Saturday with weights 152-285.

The Scorpions fell short of their goal, taking third place with 123 points, 75.5 points behind regional winner Centauri.

And yet, first-year coach Brandon Franklin was happy with the weekend from his young batch of Scorpions.

"Sometimes when you're that close to it, it leaves them hungry for next week when it really counts," Franklin said. "The goal is to get them to state, not a regional."

Six of the Scorpions reached that state goal over the two-day tournament, highlighted by senior Shawn Cordova taking home the regional title at 106 pounds.

Cordova has been No. 2 in the weight class for most of the season according to the On The Mat rankings, a placement he said he doesn't pay much heed.

"I really don't look at the rankings, yeah it's nice to know coming into regionals," Cordova said. "It's nice to know that I'm the one they got to be beat, like I'm not worried about anybody so it was a lot more calm then last year."

Cordova flirted with being upset in the semifinals on Friday, needing a last-second escape and take down to win an 8-7 decision over Centauri's Riley Valdez.

Still, the senior prevailed and took home the Scorpions only individual regional title with a 6-2 decision over Rocky Ford's Miguel Franco in the title match.

"(Cordova is) my senior leader, him and Xavier (Mendoza)," Franklin said. "Their goals are regional champ and state, they set the mark high. They went out and got it, so you can't ask for much better."

Mendoza dropped an 11-7 decision in the 138-pound final but still secured his spot to state without a wrestle back.

Sophomore Daniel Apodaca qualified at 120 pounds after making the regional title match but losing by major decision 12-0 to Rocky Ford's Joe Zamora.

The Scorpions qualified three more on Saturday in Tim De La Cruz (170), Tai Gay (195) and Leo Banuelos (285).

Banuelos had the match of the tournament in the heavyweight final against Rocky Ford's Peyton Froman.

The match was won in an ultimate tiebreaker where the next point wins, which came on an illegal hold by Banuelos.

"I always talk about having goals and (Banuelos') goal was to beat Froman," Franklin said. "He was close ... He has next week when it's really going to count, so he's excited."

Two Pueblo-area wrestlers that left no doubt in making it to state were Rye's Mikey Atencio and Remington Peterson.

Atencio, a two-time state champion and Rye's first-ever individual wrestling champion, breezed through the 132-pound bracket with three pins, the longest one coming at 1:28 in the final bout.

Peterson also went 3-for-3 in pins, his longest one also coming in the title match at 4:44.

The junior Peterson will be making his first trip to state after enduring surgery and recovery over the past year and a half for hip dysplasia.

The two will be the only representatives for the Thunderbolts at state as Teddy Gomez and Devin Samuelson finished fourth at 138 pounds and 285 pounds, respectively.

For the first time, the state wrestling tournament will be held in Pueblo next week, March 11-13, at the Southwest Motors Events Center.

For Franklin and his DHPH crew, the expectations remain high as they head down the road to the state fairgrounds.

But for now, Cordova and his team can be proud of the performance they put on in front of the home crowd.

"It's hard (to qualify) with only two people (making it), and we took six this year," Cordova said. "We had some new kids coming in and they'll be great next year. They just need to grow into their bodies, but it's more learning and learning how to wrestle."

Jordan Atencio wins regional title for Pueblo Central — The Wildcats will have one representative at the state tournament next week in sophomore Jordan Atencio.

Atencio went 4-0, all pins to claim the 132-pound regional title. The sophomore took down La Junta's Jeremiah Martinez by pin at 4:36 to win the title.

Atencio will compete Friday, March 12 in the 3A state tournament.

Chieftain News Content Coach Austin White can be reached by email at awhite@chieftain.com or on Twitter at twitter.com/ajw_sports. Help support the Chieftain and get the latest news with a digital subscription.