It’s going to get us in a good mindset. – Bradyn Dowling
By Daniel Mohrmann
The Manitou Springs wrestling teams are trying to utilize every ounce of competition ahead of the postseason, which begins in just a couple of weeks.
Part of that effort comes at tournaments such as the Colorado Springs Metros, where they battled on Jan. 20 and 21.
Wesley Reeves performed up to his standard as he took the championship in the 190-pound bracket, pinning all four of his opponents. That includes pinning Palmer Ridge’s Kraig Scott in just one minute in the championship match. It was another tournament to build on the momentum that Reeves gained when he won the title at the Mel Smith Invitational in Florence.
“That’s one of the biggest tournaments we’ll go to as a team and some of the best wrestling we’ll see as a team,” Bradyn Dowling says. “I would say it’s even harder than state, so Wes winning or even placing is huge.”
Adding a win at Metros is kind of the cherry on top. Dowling got in on the action as he took a fifth-place finish in the 215-pound bracket.
Reeves and Dowling were the only boys to net top-five finishes at the tournament. That’s not an indication of any struggles, however, as Metros tends to attract a competitive field of big-school wrestlers.
“It’s really good for preparing for regionals,” Dowling says. “We’ll see similar opponents at Metros to what we’ll see [at regionals]. It’s going to get us in a good mindset.”
On the girls side, the Mustangs had a couple chances at making championship runs but Discovery Canyon, one of the top girls programs in the state, had other ideas. Mia Hargrove knocked out Manitou’s Alex Traenkle in the 115-pound semifinals, but Traenkle was able to rebound and take third. Abby Reeves advanced to the 130-pound championship match, but lost to Adrianna Lopez.
The boys finished 13th out of 28 teams at the tournament, while the girls finished 12th out of 14.