Pomona repeats as Rocky Welton Champions

Garden City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–There’s no question that the Rocky Welton Invitational Tournament features some of the elite wrestling representing four states. The 59th edition didn’t disappoint, as it featured returning individual champions and finalists, as well as some newcomers who made a name for themselves. Pomona was able to repeat as tournament champions, as they bounced back and forth throughout the tournament at the top spot with Kearney, before holding off the Bearcats in the final round. 

As for the area individual wrestlers, five area wrestlers reached the championship match, and two took home the top spot. That was Scott City’s Jarret Jurgens, who defeated Holcomb’s Tanner Johnson in the 152 pound finals. Pedro Ordonez was able to keep his undefeated season going, taking home the top spot in the 138 pound weight division. Garden City had two in the finals in Zeke Herrera at 195 and Benny Hernandez at 285, but both fell short in the finals. Also Dodge City’s Tylor Garcia lost an extra session match at 145. 

 Garden City was the highest finisher among the area teams, placing fifth. Dodge City placed ninth out of the 31-team field.

The Outstanding Wrestler awards went to the 120-pound champion in the lower weights in Colton Yapoujian, from Pomona, while Cohlton Schultz from Ponderosa repeated as the 220-pound chamipn, took the upper weight Outstanding Wrestler award.

Carlos Prieto, Garden City

Team Scores
Pomona, CO 195, Kearney, NE 187, Valley Center 175, Pueblo East, CO 167, Garden City 149.5, Scottsbluff, NE 140.5, Ponderosa, CO 130, Andale 110, Dodge City 108.5, Pine Creek, CO 100.5, Santa Fe, NM 98.5, Canon City, CO 97, Newton 97, St. James 96, Colby 91, Scott City 76.5, Doherty, CO 74, Great Bend 68, Lamar, CO 67, Liberal 56, Garden City JV 52.5, La Junta, CO 51, Holcomb 48.5, Ulysses 48, Lewis-Palmer, CO 46, Pueblo Centennial, CO 43, Hays 39, Lakin 37, Hugoton 31.5, Fountain-Ft. Carson, CO 29, Republic County 26

Top 16 Results
106
Championship: Wyatt Yapoujian, Pomona, won by dec over Tanner Hunt, Lewis-Palmer 3-1
3rd Place: Grant Treaster, Newton, won by dec over Silas Pineda, Garden City 6-2
5th Place: Brayden Smith, Kearney, won by dec over Zeon Ortega, Canon City 4-3
7th Place: Jacob Gonzalez, Pueblo Centennial, won by dec over Saige Gallardo, Pueblo East 11-7
9th Place: Drew Liles, Great Bend, won by dec over Dawson Matney, Pomona 1-0, SV-1
11th Place: Chase Weber, Andale, won by dec over Rathe Aschenbrenner, Colby 5-3 SV-1
13th Place: Justin Batterton, Lamar, won by fall over Travis Welch, Ponderosa 4:14
15th Place: Skyler Hunt, Lewis-Palmer, won by dec over Jagger Reese, Ulysses 7-4

113
Championship: Jace Trujillo, Pueblo East, won by maj dec over Justin Pacheco, Pomona 11-3
3rd Place: Isaac Beltran Santa Fe, won by fall over Jacob Holt, Garden City 3:30
5th Place: Isaiah Gamez, La Junta, won by fall over Diago Hernandez, Garden City JV 2:35
7th Place: Rylie Steele, Kearney, won by dec over Jozghious Thomas, Doherty 6-3
9th Place: Carter Nold, Valley Center, won by dec over Sane Coffey, Cannon City 3-2
11th Place: Kevin Price, Scottsbluff, won by dec over Corbyn Pauda, Ulysses 9-2
13th Place: Kurt Schroeder, Colby, won by dec over Theron Tucker, Scott City 5-2
15th Place: Leo Casalvilla, Pueblo Centennial, won by dec over Brayden Roman, Pine Creek 9-2

120
Championship: Colton Yapoujian, Pomona, won by dec over Phillip Moomey, Kearney 4-1
3rd Place: Logan Treaster, Newton, won by dec over Andrew Lucero, 3-1
5th Place: Tate Carney, Colby won by maj dec over James Ruona, Canon City 13-5
7th Place: Collin Metzgar, Doherty, won by dec over Mike Turkali, Valley Center 3-0
9th Place: Ivan Marquez, Santa Fe won by dec over Ethan Andrade, Lamar 2-1
11th Place: Kenedy Escobedo, Dodge City, won by fall over Andres Sanchez Garden City 3:54
13th Place: Sammy Guevara, Garden City JV, won by fall over Cole Stephenson, Lewis-Palmer 4:07
15th Place: Eric Vazquez, Great Bend, won by dec over Noah Barrett, La Junta 3-2

126
Championship: Devin Gomez, Valley Center, won by fall over Ryan Roth, Pueblo East 5:26
3rd Place: Devontae Gutierrez, Scottsbluff won by inj def over Kaden Wren, Scott City
5th Place: Kaj Perez, Garden City, won by dec over Drew Ernsdorff, St. James 3-0
7th Place: Eric Vazquez, Great Bend, won by dec over Noah Barrett, La Junta  3-2
9th Place: Tanner Reed, Colby, won by dec over Adam Pena, Santa Fe 10-4
11th Place: Andrew Trowbridge, Newton, won by dec over Daniel Joey Shaw, Doherty 5-2
13th Place: Brandan Taylor, Pomona, won by fall over Juan Urbina, Ulysses 2:04
15th Place: Trace Borrego, Canon City, won by dec over Mitch Dunlap, Pine Creek, 4-3

132
Championship: Theorius Robison, Pomona, won by dec over Nick James, Kearney 11-4
3rd Place: Devon Plaza, Dodge City, won by dec over Mario Ybarra, Scottsbluff  1-0
5th Place: Aaden Valdez, Pueblo East, won by dec over Maverick Keigher, Doherty 5-3
7th Place: Trevor Lowell, Republic County, won by dec over Sam Martinez, Santa Fe 5-2
9th Place: Brody Roberson, Newton, won by maj dec over Sean Rall, Colby 10-2
11th Place: Tucker McDowell, Canon City, won by dec over Malachi Salas, Garden City 13-9 5-4
13th Place: Conrad Montoya, Great Bend, won by maj dec over Greg George, Lewis-Palmer  11-1
15th Place: Avery Arana, Garden City JV, won by inj def over Cole Hernandez, Pueblo Centennial

Devon Plaza, Dodge City

138
Championship: Pedro Ordonez, Hugoton, won by inj def over Zach Eck, Andale 
3rd Place: Keaton Sander, Great Bend, won by dec over Alex Abeyta, Santa Fe 4-2
5th Place: Tucker Coffey, Cannon City, won by dec over Johnney Perez, Lakin 4-2
7th Place: Dallas Boone, Valley Center, won by in def over Wyatt McElroy, Garden City
9th Place: Elijah Wisthoff, Pueblo East, won by dec over Emanuel Rivero, Liberal 6-4
11th Place: Kayden Johnson, Ponderosa won by inj def over Jace Wytulka, Pomona
13th Place: Brandon Chavira, Lamar, won by fall over Tyler Schritter, Colby 1:37
15th Place: Elijahblu Ruiz-Hernandez, Garden City JV, won by dec over Carlos Marquez, Dodge City 6-4

Pedro Ordonez, Hugoton

145
Championship: Parker Benekas, Ponderosa, won by dec over Tylor Garcia Dodge City 3-2
3rd Place: Gage Fritz, Great Bend, won by dec over Ben Rodriguez, Scottsbluff 12-6
5th Place: Emanuel Peralta, Liberal, won by dec over Teontae Wilson, Kearney 8-6
7th Place: Zac Hanenberg, Canon City, won by dec over Travis Finley, Colby 6-3
9th Place: Kreighton Meyers, Hays won by fall over Chase Rameriz, Valley Center 4:18
11th Place: Andrew Garcia, Garden City JV, won by dec over Max Lutz, St. James SV-1 3-1
13th Place: Jarett Nakamura, Pueblo Centennial, won by dec over Kadin McBee, Newton 7-0
15th Place: Angelo Hernandez, Pomona, won by fall over Joslyn Anderson, Fountain-Ft. Carson 1:37

Tylor Garcia, Dodge City

152
Championship: Jarret Jurgens, Scott City, won by dec over Tanner Johnson, Holcomb 5-1
3rd Place: Don Boone, Valley Center won by dec over Isaiah Martinez, Santa Fe 10-6
5th Place: Xavier Herrera, Pomona, won by dec over Conrad Vajnar, Hays Dec 4-2
7th Place: Ronald Salazar III, Pine Creek, won by dec over Cade Lautt, St. James 11-7
9th Place: William Benford, Fountain-Ft. Carson, won by dec over Bailey McBride, Canon City 6-3
11th Place: Jud Kuchera, Kearney, won by inj def over Dalton Barker, Ulysses
13th Place: Carlos Mora, Liberal, won by dec over Daniel Turco, Ponderosa 4-3
15th Place: Chandler Livingston, Pueblo Centennial, won by inj def over Dayton Dean, Garden City

Jarret Jurgens, Scott City

Tanner Johnson, Holcomb

160
Championship: Sammy Cokeley, St. James, won by forfeit over Peter Isaias, Pine Creek
3rd Place: Wyatt Hayes, Scott City, won by dec over Jason Romero, Pomona 5-3
5th Place: Quinton LaPointe, Garden City, won by fall over Tyler Boone, Valley Center 2:55
7th Place: Trey Grube, Kearney, won by fall over Xavier Dandurand, Hays  3:00
9th Place: Josh Martinez, Liberal, won by dec over Korry Tunnicliff, Ponderosa 7-2
11th Place: Zak Anderson, Ulysses, won by dec over Logan Maslanik, Doherty 5-2
13th Place: Weston Moon, Dodge City, won by dec over Zach Hart, Colby 7-6
15th Place: Alex Rowe, Holcomb, won by inj def over Dante Harper, Newton

Wyatt Hayes, Scott City

170
Championship: Garrett Niel, Pine Creek, won by fall over Nolan Krone, Pomona 1:36
3rd Place: Chance Rodriguez, Holcomb, won by dec over Cody Stalder, Fountain-Ft. Carson 7-1
5th Place: Zion Freeman, Pueblo East, won by fall over Mason Repshire, Canon City 2:59
7th Place: Payton Stoffel, Valley Center, won by fall over Reece Nicol, Kearney 2:38
9th Place: Rico Cherico, Garden City, won by dec over Ey`mon Campbell, Doherty 3-1
11th Place: Grayson Clevenger, Andale, won by inj def over Zach Jacquez, Santa Fe
13th Place: Lucas Tinnes, Lamar, won by dec over Alexavier Rodriguez, Garden City JV 2:39
15th Place: Tucker Branum, Colby, won by fall over Isaiah Flores, Pueblo Centennial 3:38

Chance Rodriguez, Holcomb

182
Championship: Garrett Niel, Pine Creek, won by fall over Nolan Krone, Pomona 1:36
3rd Place: Jayden Woodruff, Ponderosa, won by dec over Wyatt Hendrickson, Newton 9-4
5th Place: Jesse Nunez, Garden City, won by dec over Dylan Servis, Dodge City 5-3
7th Place: William Tyler, La Junta, won by tech fall over Misael Monarrez, Liberal 16-1
9th Place: Tyler Tracy, Kearney, won by dec over Andrew Transtrum, Pine Creek 3-1
11th Place: Colton Ebenhart, Lamar, won by inj def over Harlan Reed, Republic County
13th Place: Kaden Lewis, Valley Center, won by fall over Noah LeMay, Fountain-Ft. Carson 4:40
15th Place: Jace Ebert, Andale, won by forfeit over Caleb Patterson, Doherty

195
Championship: Anthony Capul, Andale, won by dec over Zeke Herrera, Garden City 3-2
3rd Place: Sam Weldon, Valley Center, won by fall over Bart Gruenloh, Lamar 1:23
5th Place: Dominic Robles, Pueblo East, won by dec over Sean Jackson, Kearney  9-3
7th Place: Ansony Quezada, Dodge City, won by dec over Doug Mills, Pomona 9-4
9th Place: Kobe Paez, Scottsbluff, maj dec over Ayston Perez, Ulysses 14-4
11th Place: Ian Clear, Ponderosa, won by dec over Colby Beer, Newton 4-0
13th Place: Luis Ronquillo, Canon City, won by forfeit
15th Place: Matt Smith, Garden City JV, won by forfeit

Zeke Herrera, Garden City

220
Championship: Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa, won by fall over Davon Spexarth, Andale 1:12
3rd Place: Chase Holle, Valley Center, won by dec over Garrett Nelson, Scottsbluff 9-6
5th Place: Cyle Gautschi, Newton, won by fall over Dominic Stean, St. James 3:20
7th Place: Austin Ochoa, Ulysses, won by fall over Tadeo Villavicencio, Doherty 4:32
9th Place: Clay Rivard, Pine Creek, won by dec over Hadley Panzer, Lakin 4-0
11th Place: Trey VanPelt, Hays, won by fall over Julian Facio, Garden City JV 2:24
13th Place: Nick Martinez, La Junta won by dec over Sy Spitz, Lamar SV-1 5-3
15th Place: Izzy Bautista, Kearney, won by fall over Dominic Knost, Lewis-Palmer 1:32

285
Championship: Lee Herrington, Kearney, won by fall over Benny Hernandez, Garden City JV 3:04
3rd Place: Ethan Jay, Colby, won by dec over Andy Garcia, Pueblo East 3-0
5th Place: Logan Gugelmeyer, Lakin, won by fall over James Cisneros, Garden City 2:18
7th Place: Genaro Gurrola (Scottsbluff) 35-5, Sr. over Evan Darville Dodge City 1:56
9th Place: Elwin Trejo, Liberal, won by fall over Eathan Shackelford, Andale 2:44
11th Place: Cayman Garduno, Pueblo Centennial, won by fall over Austin Hall, Lamar 6:18
13th Place: Tony Caldwell, Valley Center, won by fall over Xavier Byrne, Canon City 2:32
15th Place: Juan Interial, Holcomb, So. won by dec over Lino Castrejon, La Junta SV-1 3-1

Benny Hernandez, Garden City