A sweet half-dozen

 

BROOMFIELD – So how was your weekend?

Mullen wrestling’s was very good, thank you.

The Mustangs advanced six competitors to the upcoming Colorado tournament with a very efficient performance on Friday and Saturday at Holy Family High School. They enjoyed two runners-up, two third-placers and two fourth-placers at the Class 3A Region 3 meet.

“A good weekend,” is how Mullen coach John Howes referred to it. “As far as the kids staying on task and staying after things, it was good.”

Mullen’s top two wrestlers, Noah Linares and John Sumner, advanced and neither was a shock.

Linares, at 120 pounds, dropped a tight 2-0 decision to Skyview’s Nadim Kargar in the finale. The Mustangs sophomore had cruised to the championship through a bye and two pins. Linares is 24-7.

Sumner, a senior at 152 and the only returning Mullen wrestler with state experience, lost 7-1 to Jefferson’s Nick Gallegos, the defending state champion who controlled the bout. Now 41-4 in 2019-20, Sumner, headed to his second consecutive Colorado field, also advanced to his championship round with a bye and two falls.

Linares and Sumner each were rated fourth at their weight by On The Mat.

Four other Mustangs, including three underclassmen, are entering new ground.

At 126, sophomore Mark Troni (30-11) took third by going 3-1 with a bye and finishing with a 7-2 decision in the consolation final.

“I’ve been watching (the Colorado tournament) all my life and it’s just cool to get here,” Troni said.

Kaleb Valdez-Lemos (28-11) was pinned in the final period of his consolation final at 145, but Howes said the freshman will only get better and is developing rapidly.

At 160, the Mustangs’ Cole Nading has persevered and in more ways than one – after a bye and a fall, he dropped a 9-5 decision in the semifinals, but turned around and won twice in the consolations by pin for his first state ticket.

“Finally,” the senior (28-10) said of his first trip to the Pepsi Center as a competitor. “I was sixth the past two years, so I just missed it … it’s a great feeling. I’m just glad I could take care of it this week and make it to next week.”

And concerning the biggest boys, freshman Hayden Woodruff (Hwt.) may have been one of the surprises of the group, falling in the consolation final, but improving to 14-7 and advancing.

“I didn’t think I could do it, but I’m so happy about it,” Woodley said. “I wasn’t really expecting this, but I’m going to the state championships!”

Said Howes: “I thought he had a shot.”

Mullen’s seventh entry into regionals, Max Gonzales, 113, was sixth.

Teamwise, Mullen (115.5) placed sixth in the 14-team field. At the top was ever-powerful Jefferson, which totaled 228 to easily outdistance runner-up Bennett (176.5).

Pairings for the Colorado championships will be released on Sunday and the first round for each of the four classifications will be on Thursday.

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