Weather permitting, Bayfield will wrestle its final home dual of the 2023-24 season Friday night against an uncommon opponent in the Walsenburg Panthers.
Having posted a 2-3 mark this past Saturday at the 2024 Tiger Duals in Aztec, the Wolverines and Lady Wolverines are both slated to compete on Senior Night, starting at 5 p.m. Keaton Pickering, Donovan ‘Dante’ Candelaria, Daxson Michaeli and Dawson Lewis will be honored.
The Walsenburg girls will be arriving particularly ready, having just hosted a quad on Wednesday against La Junta, Monte Vista and Florence.
Last weekend in Aztec, Bayfield defeated Aztec JV 40-18 and New Mexico’s Socorro High School 40-30, but then lost against Bloomfield (51-16), Montrose (57-12) and Utah’s Monticello High School (42-33).
Forfeits at the two uppermost weights were ultimately Bayfield’s undoing. Bayfield in what had been something of a seesaw showdown; BHS won four bouts by forfeit and the Buckaroos – who won four of the six contested weights – three.
Sophomore Reese Appenzeller (133 pounds) pinned Monticello sophomore Ronnie Harris in the second period, and freshman Connor Martindale (107 pounds) defeated freshman Arturo Gutierrez 9-7.
Hunter Mars (114 pounds), Michaeli (152 pounds), Caelan Ramos (160 pounds) and Micah Cornelia (189 pounds) all won their matches unopposed.
The Lady Wolverines, meanwhile, ventured all the way north to Castle Rock for Douglas County’s 2024 Tiara Challenge last weekend, placing 30th out of 44 teams.
Led by freshman Autumn Annen’s first-place 4-0 run (including a pin of freshman teammate Audrina Velasquez) through the event’s 110-pound Purple bracket, Bayfield’s girls totaled 41 team points.
