Gene Gagliardi Invitational

TRINIDAD — Trinidad’s annual Gene Gagliardi Tournament was a huge success, as 21 teams and 214 wrestlers from three states offered area wrestlers a chance to meet unknown opponents who would test their abilities. Participating teams came from Dumas (TX), Bushland HS (TX), Boys Ranch (TX), Tucomcari (NM), Taos (NM), West Las Vegas (NM) and Las Vegas-Robinson (NM). The jam-packed tournament included several brackets with 20 wrestlers, which forced preliminary matches. Because of this, the five-match rule kicked in, forcing forfeits of any sixth match scheduled for the day. Trinidad Miner Results The host Miners claimed one third, two fourth and one sixth place for a total of 62 points, and an 11th place finish. At 106, Guillermo Felthager (18-8) placed 3rd. In the first round, Felthager won by forfeit over Casey Salazar (Sanford) 6-10, sending them into the quarterfinal where he won by fall over Kason Smith (Alamosa) 12-8 in 1:44. In the semi-finals, Felthager lost to Brendon Garcia (Dolores Huerta) 26-0 by fall in 1:48. He won his consolation semi, sending him to the third place bracket where he won by the 5-match rule over Jesse Martinez (Dumas) 25-7. At 120#, Dylan Armijo (22-8) placed 4th after he lost to Fabian Guerrero (DHPA) 22-5 with a 9-5 decision. To get there, he won his first match by decision over Cade Arellano (Alamosa) 11-8, 6-3. He defeated Diego Valerio (Taos) 13-10 in a 9-6 decision. In the semi-final match, Armijo lost to Johnathan Trujillo (Las Vegas Robertson) 11-1 by fall in in 3:22.   At 126#, Chris Ortivez (10-10) went 1-2 on the day, winning his first round by fall over Daniel Esquer (Sierra Grande) 8-11 in a time of 1:55. Quentin Bathje, 132# (20-9) cheered on by his teammates as ‘Q’, placed 4th. Q won his first two matches but lost the semi-final matchup. His first win was by fall over Emilio Lopez (West Las Vegas) 0-6 in 1:03. His quarter-final match was a major decision, 14-6 over Triston Harrington (Alamosa) 6-8. His first loss was to Jake Gibbs (Bushland) 29-5 in a 7-0 decision. He won his fourth match, then lost by decision to Lance Shoulderblade (La Junta) 7-3. At 138#, Andres Ruiz (8-8) went 2-2 for the day. He won his first match in the preliminary round over Malachi Anaya (Tucumcari) 0-2 by fall in 2:43. In one of several local matchups, Ruiz was pitted against Isaiah Sandoval (John Mall) 5-9. Sandavol won by fall in 5:57, just as time was about to expire. At 138# Josh Noriega (3-11) went 1-2 for the day. He won the first match in a 12-11 decision over Martinez Moises (West Las Vegas) 1-9. Evan Gomez 145# (13-13) went 2-2 and was eliminated in the consolation rounds. He won his first match by fall in 23 seconds, one of the fastest of all his teammates on the day, defeating Rafeal Garcia (Taos) 0-7. Chris Bailey, 152# (7-13) went 0-2 on the day. Devin Liu, 152# (7-8) went 1-2 on the day. In the second consolation round, another local matchup pitted Adam Bobian (John Mall) 13-12 and Liu. Bobian won by fall over Liu in 2:55. Jesus Diaz, 160# (12-11) placed 6th. Diaz went 4-2 on the day. In the fifth place match, Lawrence Sandoval (John Mall) won by rule. At 160#, Wyatt Wiening (10-11) went 1-2 on the day, with his only victory in the consolation round, pinning Lynae Morales (La Junta) 0-8 in 25 seconds. Julio Martinez, 182# (0-7) went 0-2 on the day; Isaiah Gutierrez, 195#(2-7) went 0-2 for the day, and at 220#, Samuel Chambers (3-9) went 1-2 for the day. His only round came in the preliminary round over Sergio Guerrero (Sanford) 0-6 by pin in 3:31. JMHS Panther Results John Mall’s Jason Murphy, 195#, (17-3) claimed his fourth championship this season at the Gene Gagliardi Tournament. Along the way, he manhandled Brennan Hudson (32-4) of Bushland, TX in a 7-0 decision. He received a bye in the first round, then easily pinned Sam Cox (McClave) 12-14 in 1:22. He then took on another unknown, pinning Darian Duran (Las Vegas Robinson) 14-6 in 35 seconds. Five other Panthers placed at the Invitational, claiming two seconds, two fifths and a sixth, and earning 115 points. The shocker of the day came at 120# when undefeated Jonathan Andreatta (27-1) was pinned by Jonathan Trujillo (11-1) of LV Robinson in 3:25. Trujillo was 2015 Texas state champion at 106 pounds and middle school champion the year before. This was the first time Andreatta was pinned in his regular CSHAA sanctioned high school career. His career record now stands at 103 wins and 3 losses. In his first three matches, Andreatta won all by pins, with the quickest in 16 seconds over Timothy Hernandez (Dumas) 13-8. At 126, Marshal Ross (16-3) placed 2nd, losing to Bradlee Jordon ( LV Robinson) 13-3, in a close 3-2 decision. Ross won his first matches by fall, first against Noah Perez (Dolores Huerta) 0-2 in a time of 1:09, and then over Jonathan Garcia (Taos) 5-11 in 1:18. Hehr Haught, at 152# (17-13) placed 5th. In his best match of the day, Haught won in sudden victory 10-8-0 over Marco Marquez (McClave) 9-11 with a takedown in first overtime. In the quarter final match, Luke Haefeli (Del Norte) 24-6 beat him by fall in 2:24, sending him to the consolation rounds where he then went 3-1, pinning Chantz Lange (Fowler) 5-10 in 4:24, and beating Adam Bobian (John Mall) 13-13) by forfeit. He then lost to J.R. Gonzalez (Las Vegas Robertson) 10-6 by fall in 1:48. In his 5th place match, Haught won by rule over Luke Haefeli since Haefeli had reached his matche limit. At 160#, Lawrence Martinez (7-13) placed fifth, winning by rule over Jesus Diaz of Trinidad. Martinez opened with a pin over Michael Welch (La Junta) 11-9 in 48 seconds, then in quarter finals 2in 2:22. In the semi-finals, Zach Diaz (Boys Ranch) 30-1 pinned Martinez in 3:02. Martinez then lost the consolation semi’s to Dahlton McGhee (Fowler) 26-4 by pin in 4:57. The Panthers last placer was Zane Barber (21-6) at 182 pounds who took 6th. Along the way, he won by fall over Kaleb Hayes (Tucumcari) 4-16 in 20, lost by a 8-1 decision to Miguel Baray (Dumas) 20-4, and won two consolation round matches over Teo Dorado (McClave) 8-19 by fall in 2:02 and Pete Aragon (Las Vegas Robertson) 8-6 in :54. Other JMHS competitors included 138# Isaiah Sandoval, going 1-2 on the day, whose win came against Andres Ruiz of Trinidad by pin in 5:57; 138# Trystan Estrada (7-14) who went 1-2; 152# Adam Bobian, 2-2, having to forfeit his final match of the day.; 160# Henry Quintana, 1-2 for the day; and Nick Griego who won one, had a bye, then lost his final two matches to be eliminated.