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Major decision
Published 12/18/2009 in Prep-Garden City
By JASON ELMQUIST
jelmquist@gctelegram.com
DODGE CITY — As if the rivalry wasn't enough, Thursday's wrestling dual between Garden City High School and Dodge City pitted a pair of top-10 teams in Class 6A — and included a combined 10 ranked wrestlers.
1
Laurie Sisk/Telegram Garden City senior Joey Dozier battles Dodge City's Jacob Eggers during their 152-pound match on Thursday night at DCHS. Dozier is the top-ranked wrestler in the state in his weight class. Dozier won his individual match to help the Buffs topple the Red Demons.
2
Laurie Sisk/Telegram Garden City senior Lane Greenlee battles Dodge City's Brandon Vasquez during their 152-pound match on Thursday night at DCHS. Greenlee is the top-ranked wrestler in the state in his weight class and Vasquez was ranked third going into the match.
3
Laurie Sisk/Telegram Garden City freshman Derrik Ortiz battles Dodge City senior Hunter Edwards, the No. 3 wrestler in the state in his weight class, during their 140-pound match on Thursday night at DCHS.
At the end, it was the No. 4-ranked GCHS squad dominating the No. 6-ranked Red Demons, 49-18.
"It's always fun to beat Dodge," Garden City wrestling coach Monte Moser said. "Doing that to the No. 6 team in the state should help our case a little bit, I would think. I'm just at that point where I'm trying to figure out just how good we are. I know we're pretty good."
Dodge City was awarded six points from the 103-pound match with GCHS leaving the weight open. But Garden City would go on to win the next five matches — and nine of the next 10.
Sophomore Anthony Calderon, ranked No. 2 in the state, got Garden City on the board with a 13-5 major decision over Dane Edwards in the 112-pound match before junior Colt McElroy scored the first of five falls by Garden City when he pinned Jesus Sandoval in the 119-pound weight class. Garden City then got another major decision in the 125-pound match thanks to junior Aaron Anguiano defeating Levi Shirley, 11-1.
It was at this point that the marquee match of the night occurred in the 130-pound division. GCHS senior Lane Greenlee, ranked No. 1 in Class 6A, squared off with Brandon Vasquez, who is ranked No. 3. Greenlee seemed to have his way with Vasquez throughout the match and came away with a solid 9-2 victory.
"The guy was strong, is long, taller than I am and it's just hard to wrestle those guys," Greenlee said.
Sophomore Braxston Medina, ranked No. 4 in the 135-pound weight class, then made quick work of his opponent, Donovan Rubero. It took Medina just 31 seconds to record a pin.
In the 140-pound match, freshman Derrik Ortiz came up short of pulling an upset of Hunter Edwards, who is ranked third. A pair of penalties doomed Ortiz, as he fell 6-4 to the state-ranked wrestler.
"Hunter better be watching, because Derrik has him in his sights now," Moser said. "Derrik's beat some good kids already this year. As a freshman, he doesn't wrestle like many freshmen. Three false starts (by Derrik) gave the match away ... but he's going to get better."
Garden City got back to its winning ways with sophomore Jonathan Heiman, who edged by Justin Blundell in the 145-pound division, 4-2. The Buffs then got back-to-back falls from senior Joey Dozier - over Jacob Eggers in 152 — and junior Eddy Gomez — against Adam Ybarra at 160 — to make it impossible for Dodge City to win.
The victory wasn't all too easy for Dozier. Eggers had Dozier on the ropes throughout the first period, and held a slight edge after one period. But with some motivation from his teammates — including fellow senior Greenlee yelling at Dozier, "This is senior year. Let's go!" — Dozier eventually pinned Eggers in the second period.
"I knew I needed to cool off and (my teammates) helped me a lot," Dozier said. "I heard some of the stuff they were yelling like 'Just cool off and wrestle your match!' And I was frustrated and needed to cool off."
GCHS received six more points when Dodge City decided to pull its wrestler who was supposed to face Garden City junior Aaron DeLeon, ranked No. 6 in Class 6A in the 171-pound division.
Then came quite possibly the most intense match of the night — pitting No. 1-ranked wrestler in the 189-pound weight class — Jace Banner — a former Garden City athlete, against good friend Dane Myers of Garden City.
Myers gave his former teammate a scare, as the two were tied at one point each heading into the third period. However, Myers came up just short of the upset when Banner got a two-point takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the match to give Banner a 3-1 victory.
"He's a good wrestler, but I just went out there and wrestled him and I think I did alright," Myers said. "I'll be looking forward to seeing him again. I'm going to work to get him."
GCHS junior Eric Requenez helped turn the crowd noise back in Garden City's favor in the 215-pound match as he pinned Dodge City's Marcos Guiterres to cap Garden City's scoring. Dodge City's Jesse Trent, ranked No. 2 in the 285-pound division, pinned GCHS' Jason Carreon in the final match.
The Buffaloes conclude their pre-holiday schedule by traveling to Goodland on Saturday to compete in the one-day team dual tournament.
GCHS will be idle through part of the holiday break due to KSHSAA guidelines. They can resume practices on Dec. 28. The Buffs' first match of 2010 will be on Jan. 9 at the Maize Invitational.
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Garden City 49, Dodge City 18
103 - Alex Garcia, DC open
112 - Anthony Calderon, GC major decision Dane Edwards, 13-5
119 - Colt McElroy, GC fall Jesus Sandoval
125 - Aaron Anguiano, GC major decision Levi Shirley, 11-1
130 - Lane Greenlee, GC dec. Brandon Vasquez, 9-2
135 - Braxston Medina, GC fall Donovan Rubero
140 - Hunter Edwards, DC dec. Derrik Ortiz, 6-4
145 - Jonathan Heiman, GC dec. Justin Blundell, 4-2
152 - Joey Dozier, GC fall Jacob Eggers
160 - Eddy Gomez, GC fall Adam Ybarra
171 - Aaron DeLeon, GC open
189 - Jace Banner, DC dec. Dane Myers, 3-1
215 - Eric Requenez, GC fall Marcos Guiterres
285 - Jesse Trent, DC fall Jason Carreon
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