Competing against several defending state champions and some nationally ranked wrestlers, Dove Creek High School wrestlers hit the mat at the Tournament of Champions in Vernal, Utah, Jan. 9-10.
Setting the tone for the Bulldogs was 126-pound junior Case Baughman, who finished sixth in a bracket including four state champions, three state runner-ups, and two nationally ranked wrestlers.
“It was by far the toughest bracket in the tournament,” said Dove Creek head coach Shane Baughman. “He’s really learning how to wrestle at that next level.”
Also cracking the top 10 was 132-pound senior Chance Randolph, who finished seventh.
“(Chance) should have been in that third-, fourth-, fifth-place range instead of seventh,” said Shane Baughman. “Had he wrestled at the beginning of the day the way that he wrestled at the end of the day, he would have fared better.”
Other Dove Creek wrestlers qualifying for the second day of the tourney included 138-pound freshman Derek Kibel and 106-pound junior Collin Hobbs. Both had 2-2 records.
“(Collin) was hot and cold,” said Shane Baughman. “He got caught and pinned in the semifinals and ... he didn’t wrestle real well. For a freshman, (Kibel) wrestled real well.”
Next up will be the Doc Wright Invite in Winslow, Ariz., Jan. 16-17. Shane Baughman said 48 teams will attend the competitive tournament.
“The kids are beat up right now, but they have to bounce back because we are going to another tough tournament,” Shane Baughman said. “They’ve just got to get mentally tough.”