Dodge City Stuns Garden City on Mats
Dodge City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) In Lars Leuders eight seasons as Dodge City wrestling coach his Red Demons never beat Garden City. Everything changed on Thursday night as Dodge City took down the three time defending state champions and number one ranked Buffaloes 34-29. Dodge City came into the night ranked fifth trailing Garden, Manhattan, Wichita Northwest and Olathe North.
Results
Dodge City was able to get a quick twelve points on back to back pins late in the match and come back from 24-22 down to a 10 point lead making the final match between two time state champion Michael Prietto and Tylor Garcia at 138 pounds obsolete.
Two big matches in the middle of the dual turned the tide for the Red Demons. Sophomore Ansony Quezada (12-5) at 195 pounds pinned Lorenzo Ruiz-Hernandez at 1:50 and Zerek Rodriguez (8-2) earned the final two points on a takedown to beat Garden’s Benny Hernandez in overtime to win 5-3.
The dual went Garden City’s way early winning four straight matches in the 152, 160, 170 and 182 pound weight classes including Rico Cherico’s (17-14) win in pinning Preston Moon at 160 pounds and Jesse Nunez’s (24-3) pin of Weston Moon at 170.
Dodge City dominated the rest of the dual winning four of the last six matchups down the stretch. Devon Plaza’s pin of Sammy Guevera kept his undefeated season intact at 13-0 in the 126 pound weight class and Clay Weil raised his record to 5-2 at 132 pounds with a pin of Malachi Salas.
The Red Demons jump back on the mat Saturday in a tournament at Maize, while Garden City participates in the Norton Tournament.
Reaction from Garden City Head Coach Carlos Prieto
Reaction from Dodge City Head Coach Lars Leuders
Reaction from Dodge City’s Clay Weil at 132 pounds
Reaction from Dodge City’s Devon Plaza (12-0) at 126 pounds
