After last year’s dominating performance entering a new season, the Eaton High School wrestling team was ranked second in the Colorado High School Activities Association preseason rankings. Preseason rankings were determined by CHSAA in conjunction with On The Mat Rankings. Every week, On The Mat Rankings releases an updated list of both team and individual rankings.
To open their season, the team competed in the Windsor Wizard Duals on Dec. 3. There they defeated Legacy 40 to 32, Timnath 72 to 12, and Vista Ridge 51 to 24, overall placing fifth in the tournament. The team traveled to the Rapid City Invitational on Dec. 8 and 9, where they placed 10th out of 30 teams, scoring a total of 102.5 points. The Reds then hosted their home opener against Ralston Valley on Dec. 13.
At 157 pounds, Quirt Carroll (24) started the dual strong with a pin. This pin earned the team six points. Carroll said, “I think my performance was okay, and my pin definitely helped the team, but there is still a lot I need to work on.”
Carroll wasn’t the only Red to win their match with a pin. Preston Smith (24) at 175 pounds, Osip Walden (27) at 215 pounds, Ethan Deal (26) at 120 pounds, and Patrick Preston (24) at 150 pounds all took down their opponents with a pin. Each of these pins resulted in the team earning six points per pin.
Two athletes for the Reds each earned four points for the team with their match victories. Jackson Tribbett (24) at 165 pounds and Louden Kindsfater (26) at 126 pounds, won their matches by a major decision. A major decision win is the result in which one wrestler has between eight and 14 more points than their opponent. Tribbett won with a score of nine to one and Kindsfater won with a score of 18 to five.
Freshman, Paxton Pettinger, earned the team three points with his match. Pettinger won his match by a decision, meaning he beat his opponent with a score of one to seven more points. He won his match with a score of nine to three.
The Reds earned six points for each match in which their opponent forfeited. Cal Sidwell (25) at 190 pounds, Blake Hawkins (16) at 106 pounds, and Garrett Hembree (26) at 113 pounds each received a forfeit victory.
These dominating performances by the Reds resulted in a home opening win of 59 to 16 over Ralston Valley. The Reds will host a tri meet on Dec. 21 at 5 pm, where they will face Resurrection Christian School and Brush High School.
