Arvada wrestling coach John Howes had a feeling a team dual victory against Green Mountain might be out of reach.
He was right.
Despite the Bulldogs grabbing a 35-9 lead through the first eight matches Thursday, Jan. 21, at Green Mountain High School, the Rams rallied on the mats with five straight victories — four by pins and one by forfeit — to come away with a 39-35 victory.
“I knew it was coming,” Howes said. “I knew my kids would get after it and win some matches early.”
Green Mountain’s Eddie Barrientos opened the dual with an 8-4 decision at 130 pounds. It was the only match of the night that went the distance.
Arvada and Green Mountain each took a match by forfeit. The Bulldogs got pins by Jacob Flores (135), Garet Krohn (145), Marcos Peralta (152) and Dwight Howes (189). Arvada’s Jorge Rosario took a technical fall 15-0 victory at 160 pounds.
“We knew we had to weather the storm and wait for our guys at the end,” Green Mountain coach Sung Baek said. “We did what we had to do.”
Trailing by 26 points, Green Mountain’s Ford Hojnoski (heavyweight), Tyler Dirschl (103), Nick Rogers (119) and John Meeker (125) rattled off pins to take the dual.
“I really didn’t know a whole lot about Arvada,” Green Mountain senior Zac Baldini said. “I knew they had some good kids, but I guess we are a comeback team.”
Baldini, one of the Rams’ best hopes to place at the 5A state tournament next month, had an impressive first-round pin of Arvada’s Bo Vincelet at 171 pounds. The senior improved his record to 15-4 on the season with the victory.
“He (Baldini) is doing pretty well,” Baek said. “Right now he is at the point where if he steps up a little bit more he would be unbeatable.”
The wrestling road is nearing the end of the season. Green Mountain will face Dakota Ridge in a dual at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, before hosting the Colbert Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 30.
Every Jeffco wrestling squad will take part in the Jeffco League Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 6, at Columbine High School before heading to their respective regional and state qualifying tournaments Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12 and 13.
Arvada has a legitimate shot at winning a few individual league titles and even the 4A Jeffco conference crown, but Coach Howes would rather have the league tournament earlier rather than the week before regionals.