Dove Creek takes 2A title

Tracy Renck, Special to the Rocky Mountain News

Published February 18, 2007 at midnight

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History will not have to wait anymore for the Dove Creek High School wrestling team.

The Bulldogs, thanks to a state championship victory by Grant Hobbs (112), and runner-up finishes from Colten Huskey (135) and Jacob Guynes (145), won their school's inaugural wrestling state crown in the Class 2A tournament Saturday night at the Pepsi Center.

"To get this first state (wrestling) state championship means a lot," said Dove Creek coach Shane Baughman, whose squad finished a school-best fourth at state a year ago. "This is just a credit to the guys on the team. We had an up-and-down state tournament and they came back and battled (Saturday) and we needed all those points to win."

Baughman's right.

After his three wrestlers championship matches were completed, the Bulldogs had a 141 point total, while Rocky Ford was at 135. Baughman and Co. then had to sit and watch the remaining Rocky Ford finalists compete. The trio was made up of Chris Schweizer (160 pounds), Jacob Jurney (171) and heavyweight Brock Freidenberger.

To win the elusive crown, Dove Creek, just needed Paonia's Tanner Ridgway to avoid being pinned by Jurney. He did much better than that, defeating Jurney 3-1 in a tense match.

"We started celebrating after Tanner won," Baughman said.

The outcome of the 171-pound match and the evening left Mike Jurney, Rocky Ford's coach and Jacob's father, trying to keep things in perspective.

"That 171-pound match was heartbreaking," Coach Jurney said. "We just came up a little short as a team, but I am still proud of my guys."

Rocky Ford, which was a runner-up to Paonia a year ago, has won 10 state wrestling championships, but the last one was in 1990.

As for Hobbs, he pinned Chad Stroh of Holyoke to make more history for Dove Creek. Hobbs, who won state at 103 pounds a year ago, is the first two-time state champion in Dove Creek history.

"This is a great feeling," said Hobbs, a senior who ended the season at 37-0. "I just wanted to help the team win state and to get that pin meant a lot."

Individually, Limon's Kevin LeValley became the 14th member of Colorado's elite four-time state championship club. The last was Torben Walters of Crowley County in 2005.

LeValley pinned Jacob Guynes of Dove Creek at the 3:50 mark to claim his fourth title. LeValley received a standing ovation from the crowed after he won and then again when he accepted his gold medal.

"This is just really exciting," LeValley said. "I never thought it would feel like this."

While LeValley won his fourth state crown, Merino's Ross Brunkhardt (152), Meeker's Joe LaBlanc (160) and Nucla's heavyweight Tucker Lane each won their third state championships. Stryker Lane, Tucker's younger brother, also won his first state title at 189 pounds Saturday night.

Brunkhardt defeated Mikey Swigart of Dolores 4-2 in the finals and LeBlanc pinned Schweizer and Lane did the same to Freidenberger.

"I am just one wrestler and this win is a credit to all the people who have helped me," LeBlanc said. "My (stepfather) Bren Sullivan, my coach Willy Theos, my brother Barny LeBlanc and my assistant coach Carl Padilla made me the wrestler I am today."

Randy LeBlanc, Joe's father, was a three-time state wrestling champion at Hayden. Randy LeBlanc, however, died in a car accident when Joe was only 3 years old.

"To achieve what my dad did means a lot," the 17-year-old LeBlanc said.

Class 2A championship matches

103—Drew Ritchey, Wray, jr.,(34-1), major dec. David Garcia, Rocky

Ford, jr., (36-4), 14-4

112—Grant Hobbs, Dove Creek, sr., (37-0), pinned Chad Stroh, Holyoke,

fr., (32-6), 2:21

119—Daniel Espinoza, Antonito, sr., (35-1), dec. Ryan Gallegos, Grand

Valley, fr., (35-2). 15-2

125—Dustin Weitzel, Dolores, sr., (41-2), dec. Wacey Smith, Merino,

sr., (38-4), 15-1

130—Chris Penny, Burlington, sr., (33-1), major dec. Drake Smith,

Dolores, jr. (33-6), 13-4

135— Jake Harris, Dolores, sr., (33-7) pinned Colten Huskey, Dove

Creek, so., (37-0), 3:35

140— Hugh Hardman, Norwood, so., (37-1) dec. Chris Holzworth, Fowler,

sr., (28-2), 10-8 (OT)

145—Kevin LeValley, Limon, sr. (39-1), dec. Jacob Guynes, Dove Creek

(41-5), pinned 3:50

152—Ross Brunkhardt, Merino, sr., (34-1), dec. Mike Swigart, Dolores,

sr., (37-2), 4-2.

160—Joe LeBlanc, Meeker, sr., (32-0), pinned Chris Schweizer, Rocky

Ford, sr. (38-5), 3:15

171—Tanner Ridway, Paonia, sr., (33-3), dec. Jacob Jurney, Rocky

Ford, sr, (41-2) 3-1

189—Stryker Lane, Nucla, so., (37-3), pinned Steven Turecek, Byers,

jr. (35-5), 4:42

215—Brian Hendricks, Burlington, sr., (25-0), dec. Josh Olsen,

Calhan, sr., (34-3), 4:42

285—Tucker Lane, Nucla, sr., (37-0), dec. Brock Freidenberger, Rocky

Ford, sr., (33-8), 1:21

Third place

103—Justin Iacovetto, Sorroco, dec. Devon Rose, Rangley, 7-0

112—Brett Bruner, Dolores, dec. Matt Moody, Meeker, 8-4

119—Tyler McCracken, Eads, dec. Chase Chesterman, Merino, 8-4

125—Niles Barnett, Fleming, dec. Brad Dillon, Nucla, 5-2

130—Joel Schlegel, Sorocco, dec. Jared Tonder, Grand Valley, 2-1

135—Devin Roswald, Simla, dec. Roston Steiner, Meeker, 3-2

140—Roy Farris, Rocky Ford, dec. Josh Prescott, Meeker, 9-3

145—Nick Segura, Dolores Huerta, major dec. Josh Conde, Holyoke, 10-0

152—Eric Stiasny, Dove Creek, dec. Cody Miles, Grand Valley, 7-6

160—Josh Ackerman, Lyons, major dec. Devon Brown, Paonia, 16-7

171—Matt Stiasny, Dove Creek, dec. Kevin Lindholm, Eads, 7-2

189—Drew Clay, Limon, dec. Dennis Morgon, Soroco, 5-4 (2OT)

215—Floyd Chaves, Center, pinned Korey Kennedy, Paonia, 4:05

285—Kyle Pollock, Wiggins, pinned Nate Rodriguez, Centennial-San

Luis, :30

Fifth place

103—Andrew Scherrer, Simla, dec. Kevin Torres, Manzanola, 5-3

112—Ethan Kinner, Hilltop Baptist, tech. fall Bryan Hamacher, 15-0

119—Stephan Boleng, Rangely, dec. Mark Bejarano, 7-3

125—Chris Gebauer, Akron, dec. Wade Beiriger, Center 8-4

130—Steven Herrera, Rocky Ford, dec. Jordan Miller, Limon, 9-3

135—Daniel Coffey, Lyons, dec. Jonathan Aguirre, John Mall, 10-7

140—Denny Beanland, Dove Creek, pinned Mitch Doolin Hayden, 1:32

145—Matt Harmon, Rocky Ford, dec. Cody Harris, Dolores, 5-3

152—Jonathan Franklin, Holyoke, major dec. Zack Meyer, John Mall, 13-3

160—Adam Warsh, Center, dec. Brogan Walters, Crowkey County, 7-0

171—Kyle Woods, Custer County, pinned Kiah Headley, Kiowa, 4:35

189—Israel Garay, Wiggins, pinned David Brown, Sangre de Cristo, 1:38

215—Braiden Banks, Dove Creek, pinned Levi Garrett, Holyoke, 2:28

285—John Hinton, Paonia, won by injury default over Bryan Crespin, John Mall.