Tigers wrestlers duke it out at Socorro Invitational

The Taos Tigers wrestling team duked it out at the Sammy Vivian Socorro Boys Invitational on Saturday (Jan. 15). The six wrestlers from Taos who competed grabbed 70 points for Taos, placing them 5th out of 11, and first among teams that fielded less than 10 wrestlers.

The top four teams in terms of ranking and placement descend in order with a corresponding head count. Miyamura in 1st had 27,

Cleveland in 2nd had 23, Socorro in 3rd had 15, Highland in 4th had 13.

Eliam Sanchez did his best to come out as a champion in the 138-pound weight class. In the first round against Socorro’s Jordan Amijo, Sanchez was down on points after the first period. In the second period he bounced back with two takedowns to win the match by decision. In the second round against Miyamura’s Jordyn Krajeki he led heading into the second period. From a bottom position to start the first choice, he got the reversal on his opponent and then won by pin. In the semifinals against Joziah Rodriguez he dominated early, registering 5 points from a reversal and a near fall. He then closed it out as well with a pin for the win. Carlos Ortiz of Pecos was too much for Sanchez in the championship round, as Sanchez lost by pin in the second period.

Cruz Trujillo fell early to Rhys Sellers (26-0) of Miyamura. He almost redeemed himself by making it to the third-place match in the 120-pound weight class against Cleveland’s Luke Morgan. It was a close battle but Morgan broke away in the third period to win by decision, 11-5.

Lucas Fillis won his first round match within 12 seconds against Tierra Encantada’s Horacio Lizama. He was overpowered by Highland’s Diego Torres in the semifinals, who would go on to win it all within the 285-pound weight class.

After beating Socorro’s Damian Otero in the first round Uriel Chavez lost in the quarterfinals to Miyamura’s Nathan Jim. Chavez had to face Jim again in the third place match within the 220-pound weight class. He lasted a longer time in their second bout but lost again to Jim, this time in the second period.

Jerome Martinez wrestling in the 190-pound weight class got off to a great start besting Miyamura’s Bryan Herold within 19 seconds. In the quarterfinals he lost to Highland’s Abraham Lopez (11-1) by pin in the first period. Martinez would go on to take care of business and win the third place match decisively against Cleveland’s Mason Kear.