Still energetic from the previous night's non-league dual win over Ignacio's Ethan Appenzeller, Bayfield's Ryan Nava then went on a feeding frenzy Saturday at IHS' 2016 Butch Melton Memorial Invitational.
Only Aiden Hopcia of 2A Dolores, Nava's second pool-play opponent, even came close to victory in falling 13-7. The Wolverine junior pinned two other 'Pool A' foes, dominated 2A Cedaredge's David Schipmann by 15-4 major decision, and ultimately pinned Intermountain League rival Tyler Cowan of 3A Pagosa Springs in just 1:52. That was enough to commandeer first place and help BHS to third in the final team standings.
On Friday, Nava was Class 3A's top-ranked 145-pounder over Appenzeller, Class 2A's numer-one wrestler at 138.
Bayfield amassed 130 points and trailed only Pagosa (164.5) and Cedaredge (205) when the long day was done. Bayfield also had an impressive individual title win from heavyweight Sam Westbrook.
It seemed as though the big junior could only be touched after the referee's whistle beginning each bout; Westbrook pinned all five of his enemies, the first four in less than 1 minute, 45 seconds. Three were in 30 seconds or less, and the last, CHS' Mario Madaleno, was lucky to last 1:22 into the second.
Westbrook would have been a shoe-in for Upper Weight Outstanding Wrestler had it not been for IHS junior Lorenzo Pena's 5-0 title run at 160, finished by a 10-2 MD over BHS junior Macoy Michaeli in the finale. Michaeli took second after going 4-1 with three pins, the last in the semifinals over CHS' Drew Markley in an elapsed 3:30.
Despite a still-ailing right shoulder, senior Cash Snooks also earned second-place points towards the Wolverines' cause with a 4-1 day. Cedaredge's Zach Anderson pinned him 1:40 into the championship match's first period at 170 pounds.
Senior Wyatt Freier, sophomore Dakota Ehart, junior Cody Speece and sophomore Garrett Beebe each recorded third-place finishes, going (respectively) 2-2 at 195 pounds, 0-2 at 220, 3-2 at 120 and 3-1 at 126. Chris Kane, who'd notched his first-ever varsity win two nights earlier in IML dual work versus PSHS in place of injured senior Taylor Winch, went 3-2 inside IHS Gymnasium to take fifth at 138.
Tyler Conner, BHS' second entry in the 145-pound division, went 0-4 and did not place, but fellow JV call-up Koby Ross-wrestling 'unattached'-managed sixth at 152 by going 2-3.
One win came against recent Ignacio addition Tyler Ulery, who did not place after going 1-2. Bobcat regular Timmy Plehinger would end up third at the weight after a 3-2 showing, while Wolverine regular Lane Grimwood went 0-3. Like Ulery, he did not advance into the bracket's placing phase.
Finally, freshman Colby Baker went winless in five tries at 106, but with two losses coming within the first period's final six seconds in a bracket featuring Pagosa Springs senior Bryan Medrano and 5A Aztec, N.M., junior C.D. Simkins. Baker still ended up with an impressive sixth place.
Next for Bayfield will be tonight's final 3A/2A IML dual out in Alamosa, starting at 6 p.m.
Further ahead on the squad's horizon will be next weekend's 3A-Region IV Championships to be held at Montrose High School. BHS and PSHS are to attend from the Intermountain, while Alamosa will be off to Region II out in Lamar. Centauri and Monte Vista will compete at 2A-Region II, hosted by CHS in La Jara.
2016 BUTCH MELTON MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL STANDINGS: 1.Cedaredge 205, 2.Pagosa Springs 164.5, 3.BAYFIELD 130, 4.IGNACIO 95, 5.Farmington (N.M.) Piedra Vista JV 65.5, 6.Durango 48, 7.Dolores 45, 8.Dove Creek 38, 9.Mancos 37, 10.Aztec (N.M.) JV 25.5.
