MONTE VISTA – The Intermountain League dual meet opener went down to the final match as the Monte Vista High School boys wrestling team defeated Centauri 36-34 Thursday at the MVHS gym.
The Pirates took the early lead as Mathieu Dean won by technical fall over Marco Medina. Dean recorded an early takedown and then scored two near falls to take a 10-0 lead at the end of the first period. Dean began the second period in the down position but recorded a reversal and a four-point near fall to take a 16-0 win at the 3:27 mark.
Centauri won the next two matches by forfeit with Erik Garcia (113) and Noah Chavez (120) both getting their hands raised to give the Falcons a 12-5 lead.
The Pirates crawled back into the lead by winning the next two matches.
First Stetson Romero won by a 9-8 decision over Rylun Polkowske at 126. Romero struck first with a takedown, but Polkowske scored a reversal. Romero escaped and then scored two near falls to take a 9-2 lead after the first period. Polkowske got a takedown in the second period to cut the lead to 9-5. He then scored a late takedown and attempted to turn Romero onto his back but ran out of time.
Elijah Baumgardner then won the 132-pound match over Levy Recinos by technical fall. Baumgardner had a takedown in the first period, and he got another takedown plus a three-point near fall in the second. He got a reversal in the third and then a four-point near fall to take a 15-0 win at the 4:57 mark to give Monte Vista a 13-12 lead.
Konner Horton gave the lead back to Centauri with a 12-4 major decision over Jaxson Owsley at 138. Both wrestlers had a takedown and escape in the first period, but Horton got a takedown and a two-point near fall in the second for a 9-4 lead. Horton recorded a takedown in the third to give the Falcons a 16-13 lead.
Centauri won the next two matches by fall. Aiden Knecht won in 55 seconds over Evan Enderle at 144, and Noah Weyers pinned Kyler Lake in 2:51 at 150 pounds to increase the Centauri lead to 28-13.
The Pirates responded by winning the next three matches.
Carlos Campos won by technical fall over T.J. Robinson at 157. Campos led 12-0 after the first period and then scored a takedown in the second to win 15-0 at the 2:42 mark.
Diego Zamarippa then pinned Tyson Montage in 45 seconds at 175.
Mason Mondragon then won by forfeit at 190 to give the Pirates a 30-28 lead.
Dorian Quintana gave the lead back to the Falcons as he pinned Lucas Pino at 215 pounds. Pino scored an early takedown, but Quintana got an escape and a takedown for a 4-3 lead at the end of the first period. Quintana got a takedown and two near falls before finishing Pino in 3:45.
It came down to the 285-pound match as Jose Zamarippa faced Aaden Quintana. There was no scoring in the first period, but Zamarippa got a takedown and finished Quintana in 3:54.
Monte Vista will next compete at the Randy and Naomi Keys dual meet tournament on Jan. 24. Centauri is at the Bene Gagliardi Invitational in Trinidad today.
Monte Vista 36, Centauri 34
106 – Dean (MV) tech. fall Medina, 16-0, 3:27; 113 – Garcia (C) by forfeit; 120 – Chavez (C) by forfeit; 126 – Romero (MV) dec. Polkowske, 9-8; 132 – Baumgardner (MV) tech. fall Recinos, 15-0, 4:57; 138 – Horton (C) maj. dec. Owsley, 1204; 144 – Knecht (C) pinned Enderle, 0:55; 150 – Weyers (C) pinned Lake, 2:51; 157 – Campos (MV) tech. fall Robinson, 15-0, 2:42; 165 – no match; 175 – D. Zamarippa (MV) pinned Montague, 0:45; 190 – Mondragon (MV) by forfeit; 215 – D. Quintana (C) pinned Pino, 3:46; 285 – J. Zamarippa (MV) pinned A. Quintana, 3:54.