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Appenzeller leads Ignacio at league

Grapplers off to regionals in Junction

Switching from a black singlet to a white one with Ignacio-red pinstripes, junior Lorenzo Peña certainly looked like he'd played well the mind game with Norwood-Nucla junior Trenton Armintrout, who also stepped onto the mat in his team's white, blue-pinstriped uniform.

It was was likely the 2016 San Juan Basin League Duals' most anticipated pairing. But after six hard-fought minutes with each 160-pounder looking ready to go upside the other's head at times, Armintrout's 4-0 win in a battle of Class 2A's number-one (Armintrout) and fourth-ranked wrestlers at the weight left observers inside IHS Gymnasium eagerly speculating about a rematch at this weekend's 2A-Region I Championships in Grand Junction.

It was only Peña's third loss this winter, and about the only thing discussed more at the tournament last Thursday was junior Ethan Appenzeller's dominance at 138 pounds.

The #1-ranked Bobcat began with a pin of Dolores' Logan Fuller in only 28 seconds. He followed it up with a pin of Dove Creek's Logan Myers in only 22 seconds, then followed that by pinning Mancos' Nick Valdez in only 40 ticks. Appenzeller ultimately captured the SJBL title with a 9-2 defeat of Norwood-Nucla's Aidan Dabal. It was one of only two IHS victories against the veteran co-op squad, which clinched the team championship via a 62-8 defeat of the 'Cats.

Norwood-Nucla went 4-0 at the gathering, DCHS 0-4, with Ignacio, Mancos and Dolores creating a clog in the middle. The Bobcats, Blue Jays and Bears each went 2-2, with IHS having beaten MHS 33-30, MHS having beaten DHS 42-30 and DHS having beaten (via 170-pounder David Schmittel's last-match pin of Mark Kempinski II) IHS 30-25. Ignacio also beat Dove Creek 36-15 at the meet.

Going by points scored and points against, Mancos would have taken second with 142 for and 133 against. Dolores would have actually then followed in third with 117 for and 136 against, leaving IHS possibly in fourth with 102 points for and 137 against.

Peña finished 3-1 individually, including forfeit wins against DHS and DCHS. Junior Timmy Plehinger did likewise at 152, and senior Tyler Beebe did so at 132 with a 7-4 defeat of DHS' Skieler Grooms, a tight 8-4 loss to DCHS' Case Baughman, a forfeit against Mancos and a first-period pin of Norwood-Nucla's Stephen Vaughn.

Junior Dalton Mickey also went 3-1 at 145, with the defeat coming via pin 1:32 into the third period of a very heated bout with Norwood-Nucla's William Gabriel.

Kempinski II went 2-2 and senior 120-pounder Wyatt Mickas went 1-3 with a forfeit win against Dove Creek before he then wrestled an exhibition match against Bulldog Rhett Quackenbush to get some bonus mat time.

Joining Ignacio and the SJBL'ers this weekend, starting today and running through tomorrow, inside Colorado Mesa University's Brownson Arena for regional action will be Cedaredge, Hayden, Hotchkiss, Meeker, Walden North Park, Paonia, Rangely, Oak Creek Soroco and Kremmling West Grand.