All Routt County wrestlers out of contention for state championship | SteamboatToday.com
YOUR AD HERE »

All Routt County wrestlers out of contention for state championship

News News |

Tom Skulski
  

Competing in the 105-pound weight class, Soroco junior Larhae Whaley flips her opponent over during the quarterfinal matchup at the state competition in Ball Arena on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. Whaley would go on to win the match with a 4-1 decision and advance to the semifinals.
Tom Skulski/Steamboat Pilot & Today

With just shy of a dozen wrestlers qualifying for state, Routt County’s last hope for a state champion came down to Soroco junior Larhae Whaley, who powered her way through her quarterfinal matchup to advance to the semifinals Friday night, Feb. 17 at the Colorado High School Activities Association State Championships.

Whaley, who wrestles in the 105-pound weight class, came up just short in her semifinal matchup, falling at 3 minutes, 13 seconds to her opponent from Fort Carson.

Whaley’s weekend is not over however, she will be back on the mat Saturday morning, Feb. 18, in hopes of contending for third-place.

While Hayden boys brought seven athletes to compete in Denver, only two won their first match. Both seniors Owen Miller and Cody Hawn would go on to lose in their quarterfinal matchups. 

Hayden head coach Matt Linsacum is proud of the hard work his athletes put in this season and while it is difficult to see them fall just short of their dreams, he has continued to motivate them throughout the tournament. 

“This is the toughest tournament and it is what it is but our thing is you just have to keep moving forward,” Linsacum said. “If you don’t win, you have to take the next best thing and for our guys right now it’s third and fourth place.”

Six Tigers moved on to the second consolation round that took place Friday evening in hopes of continuing to wrestle into Saturday, Feb. 18. Only Hawn and junior Chase Preston were able to advance.

Steamboat Springs found itself in a similar situation with junior Finn Rodgers winning his match in the first wrestleback. However, he lost his later match.

The Sailors’ other wrestler, junior Henry Dismuke, fell in each of his first two matches to end his time at state.

Show CaptionsHide Captions

All remaining Routt County wrestlers plan to push through to Saturday and hope to finish their seasons as strong as possible. Miller has his eye on winning, with a desire of placing at state in his senior year. 

“I’m just hoping to do the best I can and keep moving forward no matter what,” Miller said. “If I get down in a match I want to keep my head up and try to place.”

Colorado High School Activities Association State Wrestling Champinships
Thursday, Feb. 16 and Friday, Feb 17
Steamboat Springs
165
Round 1: Ritchie Bruno, Brush, fall Finn Rodgers, Steamboat Springs, 2:49. 
1st WB: Finn Rodgers, Steamboat Springs, SV Colin Duckworth, Fort Morgan, 10-8.
2nd WB: Christopher Galicia, Fort Lupton, maj. dec. Finn Rodgers, Steamboat Springs, 13-3.
175
Round 1: Cole Curtis, Brush, fall Henry Dismuke, Steamboat Springs, 5:31.
1st WB: Kaleb Cooper, Berthoud, fall Henry Dismuke, Steamboat Springs, 3:30. 

Hayden
113
Round 1: Merek Charney, Akron, dec. Chase Preston, Hayden, 5-1.
1st WB: Chase Preston, Hayden, fall Aiden Trujillo, John Mall, 1:26.
2nd WB: Chase Preston, Hayden, med. for. Aydan Christian, Rangely.
120
Round 1: Luke Wilfong, Peyton, fall Ethan Silva, Hayden 4:39.
1st WB: Ethan Silva, Hayden, fall Dominik Ortiz, Olathe, 2:48.
2nd WB: Breaden Flores, North Fork, fall Ethan Silva, Hayden, 1:44.
132
Round 1: Owen Miller, Hayden, fall Brenden Reifschneider, County Line, 2:15.
Quarterfinals: Eddie Bowman, Trinidad, fall Owen Miller, Hayden, 1:31.
2nd WB: Daunte Maldonado, Holly, fall Owen Miller, Hayden, 4:58.
138
Round 1: Tyler Frank, Merino, fall Triston Day, Hayden, 5:11.
Consolation: Triston Day, Hayden, fall Wyatt Meyer, Highland, 1:55.
2nd WB: Giovonni Aldretti, John Mall, fall Triston Day, Hayden, 2:48.
150
Round 1: Jacob Pacheco, Monte Vista, SV Sabyn Hager, Hayden, fall. 
Consolation: Tyson Beanland, Dove Creek, fall Sabyn Hager, Hayden, 1:44.
190
Round 1: Cody Hawn, Hayden, fall Colten Vannest, Mancos, 1:20.
Quarterfinals: Haden Camp, Buena Vista, dec. Cody Hawn, Hayden, 3-2.
2nd WB: Cody Hawn, Hayden, dec. Cayson VanDyk, Rocky Ford, 2-1.
285
Round 1: Elliot Sam, Mancos, fall Aaron Fuentes, Hayden, 4:51.
Consolation: Aaron Fuentes, Hayden, fall Omar Ocana, Rocky Ford, 4:14. 
2nd WB: Sam Ware, North Fork, dec. Aaron Fuentes, Hayden, 5-2.

Soroco Girls
100
Round 1: Piper Montoya, Canon City, fall Makala Iacovetto, Soroco, 0:48.
Consolation: Magdaelena Marjerrison, Mesa Ridge, fall Makala Iacovetto, Soroco, 3:17.
105
Round 1: Larhae Whaley, Soroco, maj. dec. Adrianna Price, Moffat County, 10-2.
Quarterfinals: Larhae Whaley, Soroco, dec. Velma Bailey, North Fork, 4-1.
Semifinals: Alexsys Jacquez, Fort Carson, fall Larhae Whaley, Soroco, 3:13.

To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.

News
See more

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Steamboat and Routt County make the Steamboat Pilot & Today’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.