By Don Eskins
For the Cavegirl wrestling team, the day of reckoning is upon them. On Friday and Saturday, February 7-8, they’ll compete in the NMAA’s Southern Regional Meet in Belen.
Other than the state tournament, the regional meet is the event they’ve been preparing for all year as the road to state starts—or ends—here for female grapplers around the state.
Participants who place in the top seven of each weight class, plus a wild card, will advance to the Big Dance. Sadly, for those grapplers who finish short of that mark, their season will be over.
The event is an open meet with schools throughout New Mexico competing regardless of class. Of those schools, 34 will participate in the southern regional. Thirty will compete in the northern.
Eight Cavegirls, all with dreams of punching their tickets to state, will take to the mats in Belen. They are at 100 lbs., senior Andrea Ramirez; 107 lbs., eighth grader Symphony Carlson; 114 lbs., junior Emily Fuentes; 126 lbs., sophomore Ellianna Campos; 132 lbs., senior Mya Cornejo; 165 lbs., senior Jacklyn Powell; 185 lbs., freshman Arianna Campos; and 235 lbs., senior Aaliyah Martin.
“Our girls couldn’t be more excited, especially our seniors, Andrea, Mya, Jacklyn, and Aaliyah,” said CHS head wrestling coach Mark Pratt. “This will be their last opportunity to get to state, so I’m expecting them to do well in Belen.”
The Cavemen will compete in the boys’ Regional in Las Cruces on Friday and Saturday, February 14-15. The state tournament for both boys and girls who have qualified will take place in Rio Rancho on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22.
CHS D4/5A Runner up
The Cavemen and Cavegirl wrestling teams, hoping to collect District 4/5A titles in Hobbs on Thursday, January 30, fell prey to the Eagles.
Entering the meet, both boys’ and girls’ teams for Carlsbad and Hobbs were 2-0. However, the Cavegirls lost to Hobbs 36-27, the Cavemen 48-21. As a result, both CHS teams closed out the dual-meet season as conference runners-up.
“Our girls wrestled really well; we just gave up too many points due to forfeits, all told 18 of them,” said Pratt. “Had we not had to give up those 18 points, our girls would have won 27-18. But our girls know they performed well there, and as we get ready to head to regionals, that’s the most important thing.
“As for our boys, well, it just wasn’t their night. They’ve certainly wrestled better this year,” he added. “But, like our girls, they still have a lot ahead of them with regionals coming up. Hopefully, we’ll wrestle better there. They’re certainly capable of doing so.”
Mark Pratt Oil Patch Invite
The Cavemen and Cavegirl JVs recently competed in the Mark Pratt Oil Patch Invitational in Hobbs. The tournament, named after CHS’s present head coach, took place on Saturday, February 1.
Pratt started the Hobbs wrestling program and coached there for 19 years. In 2016, he moved to Carlsbad. For the past three years, he’s headed CHS’s program.
At the tourney, both the boys’ and girls’ teams placed fourth in a field of six. CHS sent 10 freshmen, one sophomore, and three juniors to the meet.
“This was a really good tournament for our younger kids,” said Pratt. “It was their last tournament of the year, so it was a very special one. It should give them a lot of incentive to work hard during our off-season and summer program.”
Cavemen @ Hobbs Dual
Hobbs 48, Carlsbad 21
107- Open, forfeit; 114- Aiden Rodriguez won by pin; 121- Mythias Meier lost by pin; 127- Sabas Hernandez won by decision; 133- lost by forfeit; 139- Carter Pulice lost by pin; 145- Justin Owens lost by decision; 152- Francisco Calderon won by pin; 160- Ethan Powell won by pin; 172- Xavier Huff lost by pin; 189- Lost by forfeit; 215- Jaxon Powell lost by pin; 285 Rafael Dominguez lost by pin.
Cavegirls @ Hobbs Dual
Hobbs 36, Carlsbad 27
100- Zeroed Out; 107- Andrea Ramirez won by pin; 114- Emily Fuentes won by pin; 120 - Aubrey Baeza lost by pin; 126- Ellianna Campos won by decision; 132- Mya Cornejo lost by pin; 138- forfeit; 145- forfeit; 152- forfeit; 165- Jacklyn Powell lost by pin; 185- Arianna Campos won by pin;
235- Aaliyah Martin won by pin.
Mark Pratt Oil Patch Invitational
Hobbs
Cavemen JVs 4th-of-6 teams
121- (8th) Nehemiah Galindo 0-2, DNP; 121-(8th) Brody Barkley 0-2, DNP; 127- (8th) Zair Cornejo 3-1, 3rd; 127- (8th) Nathan Walls 2-3, 4th; 133 (8th) Carter Pulice 3-2, 3rd; 139- (8th) Raul Valenzuela 1-2, DNP; 145- (8th) Isaiah Olson 2-1, 2nd; 152- (11th) Jack Waters 3-1, 2nd; 152- (8th) Bentley Urquidez 0-2, DNP; 152- (10) Xander Huff 2-2, DNP; 172- (11th) Eddie Lopez 1-2, DNP
Cavegirl JVs
4th of 6
120 (8th) Aubrey Baeza 0-3, 4th; 165- (8th) Adrianna Carrasco 1-2, DNP; 235- (11) Faith Abeyta 4-0, 1st.
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