The #9 (2A) Clarion-Goldfield-Dows boys wrestling team took down two familiar opponents on its way to advancing to the State Dual Team Tournament at Tuesday’s regional dual meet at Humboldt, as aired on 104.9 KLMJ. The Cowboys defeated #14 (2A) Hampton-Dumont-CAL 50-17 and the #8 (2A) Wildcats 38-37.
In a stark contrast to two close regular season meetings, the Cowboys dominated the dual against the Bulldogs, winning all but three weight classes. The Cowboys had pins by JT Kelso at 285 and Ryan Hartwig at 126; and tech falls by Adrian Phetxoumphone at 132, Charlie Campbell at 190 and Linden Phetxoumphone at 120.
In the regional final, Humboldt controlled the dual early by jumping out to a 31-9 lead, with the CGD wins to that point being a pin by Campbell at 175 and a decision by Colin Sesker at 150. Then, the Cowboys rattled off four straight pins, by Kelso at 285, Paxton Redenius at 106, Angel Cortes at 113 and Linden Phetxoumphone at 120 to take a 33-31 lead. Needing a tech fall or better to clinch the dual, Adrian Phetxoumphone got one in 2:08 to clinch the dual. With no need to wrestle the final match, the Cowboys forfeited at 126 and began their celebration.
“We kind of knew that they were maybe a little bit more favored in some of the matches in those middle and upper weights,” Head Coach Dillon Anderson says. “We knew where we started in the dual that the score might look a little lopsided in the beginning, but we also knew that we were really, really strong in the lower weights and they’re not. We knew we were going to make up points. The real question was simple was, how many bonus points are we going to give up and how much are we going to get? And we just did a really good job of putting the kids in the right positions at the right times to save points, but not only get them. For Angel Cortes to go out there and pin that kid, just an absolute huge win, turned the tides completely. Angel Cortes, MVP of the day, he did an awesome job and put us in a great spot for that dual.”
It avenged a 40-35 loss to Humboldt in the regular season.
The State Dual Team Tournament will be Saturday, February 8 at Xtream Arena.
JT Kelso interview:
Dillon Anderson interview:
