Head coach for the Mustangs and West End Public School’s athletic director Rob McCabe gave the Forum a report of the Pagosa Springs tournament that his guys wrestled over the weekend. Only two were able to attend, Jace Bonacquista and Jackson McCabe, since there are multiple injuries with team members.
Bonacquista, wrestling at 106 pounds, had quite the week, since he suffered a broken nose and couldn’t actually wrestle in practice at all last week. Coach said Bonacquista could do some things to work on cardio and stay active, but he couldn’t be on the mat. Bonaquista finally got a medical release on Friday, just before leaving for the tournament. In Pagosa Springs, coach got a face mask for him from another coach.
Bonacquista then won his first match in Pagosa Springs.
“It was great for him to do that, after being out all week,” coach said.
Bonacquista did go 1-2. His following match was against the 3A state placer, who ended up winning the tournament, and then he wrestled a kid from Rocky Ford. Both his last opponents were seniors and tough wrestlers.
McCabe, wrestling at 120 pounds, had a great tournament. Seated No. 4 headed in, he won his first two matches by pin. In the semifinals, he had to wrestle a kid out of Ignacio, who was ranked No. 1. McCabe ended up taking the guy down and winning 8-1. He went on to wrestle the No. 5 kid from Rocky Ford, but ended up losing 0-1. Coach said the tournament was a “confidence booster” for McCabe, because he’s “been right there,” but not able to beat the top ranked guys in Colorado. McCabe wrestled some of the best coach has ever seen.
“We figured out to beat top level guys, we have to score points and get escapes,” coach told the Forum Sunday.
In other news, both the girls and guys Nucla High School basketball teams — both combined 1A teams with Nucla and Norwood students — saw victories, and both teams continue to maintain strong winning records.
Stan Galley, head coach for the girls, said the Mustangs beat Ridgway, 38-29, and then Mancos, 63-40. Right now, the girls are sitting at 9-2. In San Juan Basin League play, they’re 2-0, and they face Ouray this Thursday, Jan. 16.
Ouray hasn’t won a game yet, Galley said, and this is the first year they’ve had a girls basketball program in quite a few years.
There are still 12 games left for the ladies, and Galley said they continue to get even better.
“Their defense improved a lot since before Christmas, and they’ve started rebounding the ball better,” he said.
He added the girls are staying healthy, and “so far, so good on that front.”
Mike Rummel, of Norwood and head coach for the guys, agreed the Mustangs have been playing pretty well. Though, the guys have had a few games where they haven’t had a strong start, and then haven’t been able to make up for a slow beginning to pull the victory out at the end. Currently, the guys are sitting at 8-3, and Rummel agreed there are still six weeks of basketball left, before tournaments begin.
Last week, the guys came up short against Ridgway, 58-65. They did beat Mancos, however, on Saturday, 58-32.
The guys also face Ouray this week, and Rummel said it’s important to be ready.
“They’re in our league, and the only other 1A team in our league over here,” he said.
Editor’s note: A full story on the boys basketball team will appear in next week’s edition.
