Dual defeat, but improvement continues
Injury-prone Mullen loses 48-29 to Cherry Creek, although individuals shine -- O'Blia, Robbins, Valdez-Lemos and Woodruff each win convincingly; 7 'Stangs ranked by On The Mat.
GREENWOOD VILLAGE – Wrestlers are tough, of course, and this new Season B has proven even tougher for Mullen’s.
Currently, the Mustangs have one of their top competitors out because of coronavirus (COVID-19) protocols another has a concussion, another broke an ankle during practice and another is dealing with an undisclosed injury.
Welcome to mat matters in a shorter season during a pandemic.
Still, the Mustangs showed well on Thursday night in a 48-29 loss in a dual meet at Cherry Creek’s East Gymnasium, a nostalgic setting in the Centennial League. Despite forfeiting at six of the 14 weight classes, Mullen earned five victories against Colorado’s largest school and is gaining some momentum, notably in the lower weights and at heavyweight.
Dale O’Blia, a 106-pounder; Cayden Robbins (120); Kaleb Valdez-Lemos (160); and Hayden Woodruff (Hwt.) earned victories. Gilbert Antillon (113) won by forfeit.
“The kids are coming along and improving every match,” Mustangs head coach John Howes said. “They are building confidence and that’s what you want to see.”
In particular, O’Blia, a freshman, has made the switch to schoolboy competition smoothly as he’s 10-0 and won by pin to begin Thursday’s competition. In the past weekend’s quadrangular meet at Rocky Ford, in which the Mustang dropped three duals to the host Meloneers, Pueblo East and Falcon, all ranked in the top 10 in their respective classifications, O’Blia was the only Mustang to go 3-0.
He also has been named wrestler of the week by insidecoloradowrestling.com.
“I just tried to do what I do,” he said after pinning Jay Baptiste in 3 minutes, 16 seconds. O’Blia also added that the past weekend’s duals “had great competition and were just fun in my first away duals with the team. It was a great experience.”
Robbins, who went 0-2 the past weekend in his debut, earned his first takedown as well as fall over the Bruins’ William Huettner.
“It worked out pretty nicely,” Robbins, a sophomore, said. “I think we’re all doing pretty well.”
At 160, the quite talented Valdez-Lemos was in complete command in earning a technical fall (15-0) and Hwt. Hayden Woodruff, who trailed much of the match, tied it before taking a pin in 5:29.
“Coach Howes always tells me not to give up and I was able to get the pin,” Woodruff said.
Said Howes: “Cayden came out and it was nice for him to get some success. Dale, Kaleb and Hayden, they all did well … we just need to keep working.”
The Mustangs will host Smoky Hill and ThunderRidge on Saturday for a series of duals in the Green Room beginning at 10 a.m.
Seven Mustangs also made the latest Class 3A rankings released by On The Mat: O’Blia third at 106; Gilbert Antillon 12th at 113; Noah Linares fifth at 126; Mark Troni fifth at 145; Valdez-Lemos seventh at 160; and Woodruff sixth at Hwt.
For girls, two-time defending Colorado champion Alina Antillon remains tops at 136.
CHERRY CREEK 48, MULLEN 29
106 pounds – Dale O’Blia, Mullen pinned Jay Baptiste, 3:16.
113 – Gilbert Antillon, Mullen won by forfeit.
120 – Cayden Robbins, Mullen pinned William Huettner, 2:50.
126 – Damon Robb, Cherry Creek won by forfeit.
132 – Liam Masters, Cherry Creek won by forfeit.
138 -- Jacob Baldessari, Cherry Creek pinned Adam Domenico, 1:42.
145 – Pierce Reisinger, Cherry Creek pinned Ian Zhang, 2:36.
152 – Austin Luhring, Cherry Creek pinned Jacob Robbins, 2:07.
160 -- Kaleb Valdez-Lemos, Mullen tech. fall Jack Huettner, 15-0.
170 – Owen Lennon, Cherry Creek won by forfeit.
180 – Double forfeit.
192 – Matthew Soderborg, Cherry Creek won by forfeit.
220 – Jackson Hurd, Cherry Creek won by forfeit.
Hwt. – Hayden Woodruff, Mullen pinned Jameson Yeingst, 5:29.
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