CENTER – The annual Valley Classic took place this past weekend at Center High School’s gym with Cedaredge, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, winning the boys tournament.

The. Bruins scored 234 points, 106 points better than runner-up Centauri. They had four individual champions, and one runner-up.

Centauri scored 128 points and had two champions. Aiden Knecht won the 144-pound weight class as he pinned Salida’s Calhoun Hill in 1:35. Noah Weyers followed that up by recording an 11-3 major decision over Pagosa Springs’ Hudson Mazur at 150.

Also placing for the Falcons were Noah Chavez who was third at 120, Konner Horton who was third at 138, Leland Chacon who was fourth at 138, Marco Medina who was fifth at 106, and Erik Garcia who was sixth at 113.

Monte Vista took sixth place with 115 points and it too had two champions. Mathieu Dean defeated Trinidad’s Santino Garcia-Sanchez by a 10-3 decision at 106 pounds, and Matthew Rodriguez won by a 9-2 decision over Ignacio’s Aven Bourriague at 113.

Other Pirates who placed include Stetson Romero who was fourth at 120, Jaxson Owsley who was fifth at 126, Jose Zamarripa who was fifth at 285, Kyler Lake who was sixth at 144, and Mason Mondragon who was sixth at 190.

Sargent was 12^th with 48 ½ points and it had one champion in Donovan Heineman who won by injury default over Nucla’s Jackson McCabe.

Also placing for the Farmers was Ezra Gilliam who took sixth at 126.

Sierra Grande/Centennial finished in 13^th place with 44 points. Placing for the Panthers were Tim Worcester who was third at 144, Aden Gallegos who was sixth at 120, and Jeremiah Lopez who was sixth at 132.

Center took 17^th place with 33 points. Michael Archuleta faced off against Cedaredge’s Cash Martinez in a meeting of the Class 2A top two 126-pound wrestlers. Martinez won by a 12-2 major decision. Archuleta was the only Viking to place.

Del Norte was 20^th with 12 ½ points. Its only placer was Asher Albright who was sixth at 165.

Antonito was 21^st with seven points. The Trojans had no placers.

The Outstanding Wresters were Cash Martinez in the lower weights, and Buena Vista’s Carter Stromer in the upper weights.

Boys team scores

Cedaredge 234, Centauri 128, Trinidad 120 ½, Limon 119, Buena Vista 117 ½, Monte Vista 115, Pagosa Springs 114, Norwood 107 ½, Ignacio 90, Dove Creek 78, Salida 75, Sargent 48 ½, Sierra Grande/Centennial 44, Sierra 43 ½, Primero 35 ½, Mancos 34, Center 33, Nucla 25, Custer County 22, Del Norte 12 ½, Antonito 7, La Veta 0.

Boys individual champions

106 – Mathieu Dean (Monte Vista), 113- Matthew Rodriguez (Monte Vista), 120 – Cash Martinez (Cedaredge), 126 – Liam Martin (Cedaredge), 132 – Donovan Heineman (Sargent), 138 – Cael Beanland (Dove Creek), 144 – Aiden Knecht (Centauri), 150 – Noah Weyers (Centauri), 157 – Samuel Johnson (Salida), 165 – Lincoln DeKay (Ignacio), 175 – Kolter Mann (Cedaredge), 190 – Abel Flowers (Buena Vista), 215 – Carter Stromer (Buena Vista), 285 – Spoke Carr (Limon).

Meeker wins first Valley Classic girls tournament

This year saw the first edition of the girls Valley Classic which took place on Saturday.

There were five teams that competed and a total of 20 girls. There were five weight divisions.

Meeker won the tournament with 53 points, easily outdistancing second place Salida with 32. Meeker had three individual champions. It also swept the Outstanding Wrestlers as Emma Ford won in the lower weights, and Ruth LeBlanc won in the upper weights.

Center was the only SLV girls team to compete and it took third with 21 points. Leading the Vikings was Oceana Garcia who won the 105-pound division by pinning Meeker’s Adalin Valenzuela in 1:25, and Custer County’s Shelby Compton in 21 seconds.

Also placing for Center were Temprence Douglas who was second at 110, Maelyn Garcia who was third at 130, Nayomi Galindo who was fourth at 120, and Leilany Soto who was fifth at 120.

Girls team scores

Meeker 53, Salida 32, Center 21, Nucla 16, Custer County 0.

Girls individual champions

105 – Oceana Garcia (Center), 110 – Maite Camargo (Meeker), 120 – Maya Reyes (Salida), 130 – Emma Ford – Meeker, 170 – Ruth LeBlanc (Meeker).